


The Devils On Our Backs

by skillzyo



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Other, Wynonna going all Wynonna, but only brief mentions of things that happened in the finale, canon-compliant as of season one finale, everything in between, transphobia in later chapter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-08-12 01:59:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 54,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7916062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skillzyo/pseuds/skillzyo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been months since Bobo and Willa were defeated. Since then, the Earp sisters and their strange new family have settled into a routine. They've taken down several individual Revenants by working together. But a new Revenant has risen to power and he has a plan to break free from the Ghost River Triangle. </p><p>Meanwhile, a strange woman has come to Purgatory to reconnect with Nicole, but it puts a strain on the relationship between her and Waverly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Why'd You Come In Here Looking Like That?

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! I've been pretty quiet in the WayHaught realm lately, but that's because I've been working on this fic for a while. Big thank you to officerhaughtstuff for always listening to me rant about it and helping me talk through a lot of the plot. She also helped create the characters of Isaiah and Jesse. I plan to update every other week, but we'll see how things go.
> 
> Also, I plan for this to be a little like an actual episode, so big focus on Revenant A-Plot, but an equally important B-Plot that I plan to tie into the A-Plot by the end.

Rays from the rising sun trickled in through the cracks of Waverly's curtains, just bright enough to coax her out of the deep sleep she had been enjoying. Remnants of a dream drifted through her head as she slowly awakened in the dawn's light. Warm breath tickled the back of her neck and though her eyes remained closed, a hint of a sleepy smile tugged at the corners of Waverly's lips. Then she realized how warm she was, wrapped in her girlfriend's arms under a mountain of blankets, and she wondered how she hadn't managed to die of a heatstroke in the middle of the night.

As carefully as she could, she began to free herself from Nicole's grasp so she could escape the suffocating heat and get the coffee started downstairs, but a soft whine stopped her. That, and the grip that tightened around her middle when she tried to leave. She smiled and placed her hand over Nicole's hands clasped over her stomach.

“Just 'cause the sun's up doesn't mean you have to be, too, Wave,” Nicole said in a raspy voice, her southern accent thickened by drowsiness. “Stay here?”

Waverly rolled over so she could face Nicole, whose eyes were still closed. She pressed a quick kiss to the tip of her nose. When she pulled away, her eyes shined with affection, even as she teasingly said, “Don't even try being cute and mushy this early in the morning. I'm still gonna get up.”

“But it's cold.”

“You have like, four blankets on top of you.”

Nicole buried her face against Waverly's neck and mumbled, “But you keep me the warmest.”

“What did I say about being mushy this early?” Her voice was soft, though, and her cheeks warmed at the compliment. Still, a busy day awaited the two of them, and Waverly wanted to get a start on it before Wynonna barged into her room in search of coffee. She took a moment to revel in the lack of space between their bodies before she disentangled herself from Nicole's arms and swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

Nicole scooted into the space Waverly had just left, presumably absorbing the heat left behind, and curled in on herself. Waverly smiled at the sight. Unable to help herself, she leaned down and kissed Nicole again before she left the bedroom and headed for the kitchen.

Wynonna was still passed out on the couch when Waverly passed through the living room. Several empty beer bottles sat on the floor beside the couch, just beneath Wynonna's dangling fingertips. Waverly shook her head and collected the bottles, then pulled Wynonna's blanket up. Her sister muttered in her sleep, then rolled over so her face was buried in the back of the couch.

At least the nightmares hadn't come during the night.

In the kitchen, Waverly absently placed the bottles on the counter beside the sink and hummed to herself as she readied the coffee pot. It was one of the fancy ones with a delayed timer, but it didn't help much since neither she nor her sister ever remembered to set it up the night before. Once the coffee was brewing, filling the house with its earthy aroma, she pulled down three mugs, plopped a tea bag in one of them, and put a kettle on the stove. Feeling eyes on her, she turned to find Nicole in the doorway, watching her every move. Her brown eyes were soft and warm—the way they always looked whenever Waverly caught her watching her—and her hair hung loose above her shoulders, still mussed by sleep.

“You don't have to stand there all morning,” Waverly said. “You can join me. I mean, if you want to. You don't have to if you don't want to.” Waverly took a deep breath and calmed herself. Despite how often Nicole stayed over, Waverly still wasn't used to sharing her mornings with her. Hell, after being alone for so long, she was still acclimating to sharing her mornings with Wynonna. She did enjoy them, though. And she so desperately wanted to get used to Nicole being around, too. “What I mean is, I'd like it if you joined me.”

Nicole ducked her head and stepped into the kitchen. It wasn't long before she stood in front of her, a shy, questioning expression on her face as she tilted her head to the side. Waverly nodded, and Nicole wrapped her in another hug before pressing a kiss against Waverly's forehead.

Waverly had a lot of words she could use to describe Nicole Haught, but at the moment, 'gentle' was all that came to mind.

She was so different from Champ, always asking and never taking. Never assuming that whatever Waverly had was also hers. As affectionate as Nicole was, Waverly didn't find it suffocating the way she had whenever Champ pressed hot kisses against her skin. She didn't feel like a staked claim or some kind of trophy to go along with a truck.

The floorboards creaked and when she peeked over Nicole's shoulder, Waverly saw Wynonna in the doorway.

“Ugh. You two are being grossly cute already and the sun's barely up,” she said before she stalked over to the coffee pot and grabbed the cup Waverly had left for her on the counter.

“Guess that means you won't need any sugar for your coffee then, Wynonna,” Nicole said.

“Yeah, I'm getting a cavity just watching the two of you,” she said with a sneer as she poured herself a cup of coffee. She took a sip and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, her expression softened. “Thanks for the coffee, Baby Girl.” The kettle chose that moment to release a sharp whistle and Wynonna startled at the sound, sloshing coffee over the rim of her cup and onto her hand. “Shit!”

“Sorry,” Waverly said as she left Nicole's arms and rushed to turn down the fire on the stove. “Forgot about the kettle.”

“You alright, Wynonna?”

“I think I'll survive, Haught Stuff,” Wynonna winked. “Now if you'll excuse me, the couch and my ass have a date we've been planning all week that Dolls keeps getting in the middle of.” She took a step toward the doorway, paused, then looked over her shoulder and said, “I know how that sounded and for the record, I don't regret it.”

Nicole's laugh bounced around the kitchen and Waverly's heart fluttered as she poured the steaming water into a mug. She placed the kettle back on the stove and turned around, the cup of tea in her hand. She offered it to Nicole, who took it with a smile.

“You didn't have to do that. I could have made my own.”

“I know I didn't have to. When have I ever done anything that I didn't want to do?”

Nicole hummed, as if agreeing with her, and huddled over the hot cup of tea in her hands for warmth. “I don't know what I did to deserve someone as sweet as you, Waverly Earp.”

“You're just saying that because I'm like your personal space heater.”

Nicole grinned, but her expression softened as she looked back down at the cup in her hands. “Yeah, but I mean it.”

And just like that, Waverly's heart melted all over again at the sincerity in Nicole's words.

“Drink your tea before it gets cold, you sap,” she said before she turned around to fiddle with the coffee pot. Before she could pour herself a cup of coffee, warm breath tickled her neck, then a pair of soft lips peppered kisses along her skin.

“I'm your sap though,” Nicole said against Waverly's ear, sending a shiver down her spine.

Wynonna coughed from the doorway and broke the spell that had fallen over them.

“Dolls wants us at the station pronto, Baby Girl, so you better get dressed quick and make that coffee to-go.” Wynonna's gaze shifted to Nicole and she said, “Sorry to steal her away from you Haught Stuff, but you know how it is. Evil never sleeps.”

Nicole nodded, but her attention was focused on Waverly. “Let me know if we can still do movie night tonight?”

“Definitely,” Waverly said.

She placed a quick kiss on Nicole's cheek and left the kitchen so she could go get changed. When she came back downstairs, her tank-top and shorts exchanged for jeans and a loose, white sweater, she found her travel mug waiting on the small table at the end of the stairs. She took a sip and smiled at the slightly bitter sweetness hitting her tongue. When she went in search of her girlfriend, however, she was nowhere to be found, but she did find Wynonna in the living room.

“Nicole's in the shower,” Wynonna explained, and Waverly wondered if she was really that transparent. “It's like she knows you'd spend twenty minutes kissing goodbye if she were here to send you off,” Wynonna teased.

Waverly swatted her across the stomach and led the way out the front door into the cool spring air, a little disappointed Nicole hadn't wanted to kiss her goodbye.

She frowned.

Maybe Wynonna had a point.

* * *

 

Wynonna eyed her sister in the passenger seat of Gus's truck. She had been quiet the whole ride into town, choosing to gaze longingly out the window at the passing scenery, which was really just a whole bunch of field stretching towards the horizon, occasionally broken by a tree. Riveting. Wynonna took a sip of her coffee, settled it in the cup holder between them, then cleared her throat to break Waverly out of the trance she was in.

“Something on your mind, Waves?” she asked. “If it's anything dirty about you and Nicole, just say no.”

“It's nothing like that,” Waverly said with a laugh. A moment later, she grinned and added, “Not right now anyway.”

“Yeah, yeah. I get it. You can't get enough of her.”

“Right.” Waverly nodded. Out of the corner of her eye, Wynonna could see her chewing her lower lip in thought. “Speaking of that. What if, I dunno, maybe sometime in the future, I happened to ask her to move in with us?”

The truck screeched to a halt on the side of the road and Waverly yelped beside her as she jerked against the seat belt. Wynonna slammed the truck into park and cut the engine, then leveled a stern gaze at her sister.

“Let me get this straight,” she said. “You want to ask Nicole to move in with us? At the homestead? Where we live?”

“Wynonna, please, I know you're all about being this lone wolf, badass demon hunter and that you like your space so I promise we won't bug you. Not even a little bit,” Waverly said. “But it's your home, too, and I don't want you to think we're invading or something. If you're not okay with it, just say the word.”

Wynonna let Waverly squirm a few seconds longer, holding her in her gaze. “Waverly,” she said, “Nicole has been spending the night at the homestead for the last two months. I thought you had already asked her to move in.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. Oh.” Wynonna chuckled and started the truck again. She shook her head, but a smile was on her face. “'Can I ask her to move in with us?' I swear, you're such a nerd sometimes.”

“I was trying to be considerate.”

“And I appreciate that, really,” Wynonna said as she maneuvered the truck back onto the road into town.

“So you don't mind?”

“Of course not,” she said. “She makes you happy.”

Waverly smiled and looked back out the window and Wynonna just barely heard her mumble a soft, “She really does.”

Oh, her baby sister had it bad, but Wynonna decided she wouldn't tease her about it until later, after they figured out just what Dolls could have for them at the ass-crack of dawn.

It turned out Dolls could have quite a bit for them at the ass-crack of dawn. Wynonna groaned as soon as she opened the door and saw the photos spread over the desk. Dolls was already hunched over the table examining them, a pair of glasses perched on the tip of his nose, and Waverly pushed by her to join him.

“Dude, it's seven in the morning,” Wynonna said as she pulled the door shut behind here. “Do you live here?”

“Not important,” Dolls said. He pushed off the table and brought a photograph with him. He handed it off to her and, for once, she didn't gag at the sight. Rather than some gruesome murder that Dolls was so fond of showing her, it was a picture of a very alive, very large broad-shouldered man with brown curls that peeked out from the edges of a grey woolen cap pulled down over his ears. The bottom half of his face was obscured by a rough, dark beard. Wynonna could make out the jagged line of a scar slicing through his eyebrow. “Anyone you know, Earp?”

“Hagrid?” Waverly snorted beside her. “What? I don't remember everybody in Purgatory! Just the ones who are dicks.” She shoved the picture into Waverly's hand and let her examine the profile of the stranger. She turned to Dolls, who had a stack of photographs in his hand. “What's so important about Fur-face here that you had to interrupt my day off yet again?”

“You may not know him, but he seems to know some old friends of ours,” Dolls said. He showed her the next picture in his collection, and she saw a group of four men surrounding the hulking man from the first picture. He dwarfed all of them, a mountain amongst men. Or, more accurately, Revenants. “Looks like some trailer park residents needed a change of scenery.”

“Or they just needed to see a man about a horse.” Wynonna and Dolls turned to Waverly, who was still studying the photograph. When she looked up and caught them staring at her, she shrugged. “Isaiah Lincoln. He owns a horse ranch north of here. He's not a people person so he doesn't come to town often, but he's the best riding teacher you could ask for.”

“At least someone here knows everyone in Purgatory.”

“Three years! I was gone for three years, Dolls!”

“Alright, Earp. You can tell me more of your excuses in the car,” Dolls said. He passed the photograph in his hand to Waverly and gave her the smallest of smiles. “See what you can find on these guys and what they might want with Isaiah, but grab yourself a doughnut from the bakery before you get started, and put it on my tab. You earned it.”

Wynonna scoffed, but she followed Dolls towards the door. She stopped with her hand on the doorknob and looked back at her sister.

“I don't know when you plan to ask her, but good luck with Haught.”

Her sister's cheeks flared a deep shade of red. It was always a nice sight to see before heading off with Dolls to a possible confrontation with demons.

She better get at least _two_ doughnuts out of this.

* * *

 

Waverly had gathered all the photographs on the table and sorted them into a pile after Wynonna and Dolls left. Now she clutched them to her chest as she walked through town to the small library. Calling it a library was generous—the selection was limited and mostly depended on donations from the townsfolk—but it _did_ hold the town's records. She had never come across Isaiah's name during her research on Wyatt, but maybe she could find something on the men who had visited his ranch.

But not before she stopped by the bakery for the doughnut Dolls had promised.

The bell jingled as she opened the glass door and Susie, the small, timid woman who ran the bakery, smiled at her from behind the counter while her husband Jarrod spoke with a customer at the register—a tall, lanky woman with wild blonde curls tied back in a ponytail.

A woman Waverly had never seen before.

While the stranger leaned against the counter and talked with Jarrod about what he suggested she get, Waverly approached the glass case of pastries. She frowned when she saw her usual raspberry-filled, sugar-coated doughnut was sold out, but Susie smiled and handed a paper bag over the display case and Waverly's eyes lit up as she took it.

“Marshall Dolls already has you covered,” Susie said.

“Thanks, Susie.”

Waverly's mouth already watered at the thought of the sugary treat waiting in the bag. She turned around and started towards the door, only to run into someone a few steps later. An apology was already on her lips before she looked up from the bag in her hands. The words died in her throat when she realized she had run into the stranger who had been at the counter. She felt trapped in the piercing gaze that held hers.

“Hey,” the woman said, her voice low, but there was no trace of annoyance in her tone. Her intense blue eyes were dark as they studied her, and Waverly shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “Looks like you've got your hands full there.” She gestured towards the bag and the photographs in Waverly's hands. She flashed a crooked smile, and Waverly's tight muscles relaxed slightly. “Would you like some help?”

Before Waverly could answer, the woman had the bag in her hand.

“Uh... Thanks,” she said, grateful the woman hadn't gone for the photographs instead. “You really don't have to carry that, though. It's not like it's heavy.”

“It's my pleasure,” the woman said as she opened the door and held it for Waverly. When the door closed behind them, she said, “I also may have wanted an excuse to spend some time with such a pretty girl.”

Waverly stumbled.

She managed to right herself before she could fall, but she was sure the surprise was still written on her face. She hadn't had anyone flirt with her since she and Nicole went public with their relationship two months ago. Nicole had also been the only woman to ever flirt with her. Her cheeks burned red and she cleared her throat.

“That's nice of you to say, but my girlfriend's a cop who can take down big, burly bikers twice her size, so you might want to cut that out,” she said, unable to keep the pride out of her voice as she talked about Nicole.

The woman chuckled, then said, “I'll be sure to keep that in mind.”

The walk to the library was filled with small talk between the two of them. Waverly listed off Purgatory's very limited attractions and the stranger talked about her bus ride into town. A sigh of relief escaped Waverly's lips when no strange occurrences were mentioned.

When they reached the doors to the small library, the woman handed over the bag of doughnuts and smiled at Waverly, her blue eyes sparkling in the sunlight. “Your girlfriend is lucky to have you,” she said. She stepped closer to Waverly and gazed down at her, eyes darkening. “If I'm being honest though, she sounds a little brutish, taking down burly bikers and whatnot. If you're ever looking for a softer touch...”

Waverly bristled at the remark. She held the photographs closer to her chest as she said, “Thanks, but my girlfriend's touch is _exactly_ how I like it.” She shoved her way through the door to the library and groaned when the stranger followed her. She came to a halt and turned on her heel to pin the the taller woman with a glare. “If you don't stop following me, you won't have to wait around for my girlfriend to kick your ass 'cause I'll do it myself.”

The woman raised her hands in surrender. “Sorry,” she said, but the amused smile on her face said otherwise. When Waverly's expression didn't soften, the woman's smile fell. “Really, I am. That was rude of me and I was out of line.” She rubbed the back of her head, then said, “Look, can we start over? I swear I'm not this much of a jackass. I just tend to overcompensate around pretty girls like you.” She held out her hand and Waverly eyed it for a moment. She'd forgiven Doc for worse things, she knew that, but this felt different. This was about Nicole. She sighed and took the woman's hand in hers. The crooked smile that was quickly becoming familiar spread across the stranger's face. After they shook hands, the woman said, “Name's Joanna.”

“Waverly.”

“Waverly.” Joanna repeated the name like she was testing it. It sounded strange coming off her tongue. “That's a new one. I like it.”

“Yeah, well, I'm pretty fond of it myself,” Waverly said. “Look, Joanna, I appreciate your help, but I'm kinda gonna be really busy here in a few minutes, so I'm not sure I'll be the best company.”

“Oh! Right, yeah. Of course,” Joanna said. “I should probably be on my way anyway. Still need to get familiar with the town.”

“Well, whatever you see on the main road is pretty much all you get. Not a lot to get familiar with.”

“Still,” Joanna said, “maybe when you aren't busy, you could give me a tour sometime?”

Waverly chewed her lower lip. “Maybe,” she said as she backed up, “but right now, I really do have to go.”

“Right,” Joanna said. “I'll be seeing you around then, Waverly.”

Waverly's smile was tight as she waved goodbye. Once Joanna was out of sight, she breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back against the wall. Those electric blue eyes had been intense, and when they had darkened, Waverly had felt as if she were about to face a storm she wasn't prepared for. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, drawing her attention to the task at hand: research.

With her mind back on track, she made her way to the section of the library that held the town's records and archived newspapers. Joe the librarian waved at her as she passed him by and she gave him the best wave she could with her hands full.

When she opened the door to the records' office, the pungent, musty smell of old paper filled her senses. She breathed it in and a smile spread across her face, and the heavy thoughts of the strange woman she had met fled as she entered her element. She had spent so much time with her nose buried in books while Wynonna was gone, she might as well have been greeting an old friend.

After she set the bag of doughnuts on the corner of the table, she spread the photographs across the space that remained. She pulled one of the doughnuts out of the bag and studied the images with one arm crossed over her stomach, searching for some kind of clue as she bit into the jelly-filled treat.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she quickly stuffed the rest of the doughnut into her mouth and wiped her hands on her jeans before she pulled the phone out of her pocket. She unlocked the screen to find a picture of Nicole with her hair tied back and a blue bandana covering the top of her head. Dust smudged her cheek and a few strands of red had escaped the bandana. Waverly mirrored the smile on her girlfriend's face and she was glad no one was around to see her jelly-covered teeth. Behind Nicole, Waverly noticed the sofa from her living room, sans the empty chip bags, wrappers, and cups that were usually scattered around it. The caption beneath the picture read, “Operation Living Room: Success!”

Not long after, she received another text from Nicole that simply said, “I hope your research goes well. Let me know if you need a distraction.”

Waverly shook her head and, after she painfully swallowed the nearly-whole doughnut in her mouth, she typed out a response.

“Awesome! A clean couch we can make dirty again later.”

Waverly didn't have time to put her phone away before it buzzed in her hand again with a text from Nicole that said, “It's not nice to tease.”

And maybe it wasn't nice, but it was oh so fun to tease Nicole.

The time for fun was over though, so Waverly slid the phone back into her pocket then cracked her knuckles, ready to get to work.

* * *

 

Despite Dolls's teasing earlier that morning, Wynonna did get doughnuts. The powdered sugar ones that Dolls knew she loved so much. He was a man of few words, but he knew the best way to show he cared.

“If you get sugar on those seats, you're walking the rest of the way,” he said, his gaze never leaving the road. Wynonna rolled her eyes, but she made a show of pulling out a napkin and spreading it over her lap to catch any stray powdered sugar. “Thank you.”

“Wouldn't want you to have a heart attack over some crumbs in your car.”

“Preventative measures, Earp. You get sugar all over the car, then the ants come,” he said. “I'm doing us both a favor.”

“'You drop sugar, you get ants,'” Wynonna mocked.

“Just eat your doughnut before we get to the ranch so you have time to wipe that powder off your nose.”

“Like I'm falling for that one,” she said. She turned to look out the window and, once she was sure Dolls wasn't watching, she swiped at the tip of her nose.

Just in case.

By the time the SUV crunched over the gravel road that led up to Isaiah's ranch, the doughnuts and all evidence of them had been stashed on the floor at Wynonna's feet. She checked her face one more time for remnants of the doughnuts as the SUV rolled to a stop near the closed gate. A large sign had been hung over the wood and _Keep Out_ had been written in large, red letters, though the paint had faded over the years. Beneath the large sign was a smaller, newer one that read _Unless you have an appointment_ in black permanent marker.

“I'm getting some mixed signals here,” Wynonna said as she slid out of the car. She shut the door behind her and heard the echo of Dolls's door shutting as well. She patted Peacemaker on her hip for reassurance and met Dolls at the front of the car. “Think he'll be angry we're crashing his place?”

Dolls examined his service weapon for a moment then slid it back into its holster. “He certainly doesn't look happy,” he said, nodding towards the hulking mass of a man that had just stepped out of the ranch house. Dolls shifted his features into his sternest expression and he pulled his badge from his jacket. When the large man approached, Dolls held up the badge and said, “We don't want any trouble, Mr. Lincoln. We just came to ask a few questions.”

“Wouldn't be the first time I heard that,” Isaiah said as he looked between the two of them. He sighed and said, “I suppose the faster I answer your questions, the faster you get the hell off of my land.”

He started back towards the house, and Wynonna and Dolls shared a look.

“Pleasant guy. Real heartwarming kinda fella,” Wynonna said while Dolls slipped his badge back into his jacket. She swatted Dolls on the arm. “Oh my god, you two could be soulmates.”

Dolls shrugged and followed after the man lumbering up the driveway.

Wynonna expected the ranch house to be as cold as the man who had met them in the driveway, but the first thing she noticed was how homey it felt. A fire blazed in the hearth, fighting off the chill of the early spring air. The living room wall had been painted a cool light blue, but the worn furniture was differing shades of red. A pair of antlers adorned the wall behind the couch. Very rustic chic.

“Can we make this quick?” Isaiah pulled his hat off, revealing long, dark locks that curled down to his shoulders. He took a seat on the couch in front of a wooden coffee table. “Jesse'll be back soon and they don't need to see you questioning me.”

“That all depends on you,” Dolls said as he sat across from him in one of the broad-backed chairs. “If you're honest with us, it should be quick and painless.”

Wynonna scoffed and Dolls glared at her over his shoulder.

“Look, just tell us what the trailer park boys wanted and we'll be out of your hair.”

“Saddlebags,” Isaiah replied, “for their bikes.”

“Okay, and let's pretend we believe you,” Wynonna said. “What makes your saddlebags so special? They could get that stuff from any bike store in the city for half the price, so why come to you?”

“Earp—”

“You think I invited them here? That I wanted those bikers on my property? I just want to be left alone.” Isaiah's large hands balled into fists. “They came here, trespassed on my land, and I'm the one being interrogated.”

“You're not being interrogated,” Dolls said. “We just want to know what a couple of bikers might want with a rancher.”

“And I told you. Saddlebags. Jesse and I work with leather in our free time. They wanted to look at some of our pieces.” He gave Wynonna a pointed look. “And mine aren't likely to fall apart as easily as those bags from the city.”

Isaiah's gaze shifted from Wynonna to the front door and seconds later, a slighter, darker figure stepped into the house, paper bags of groceries in their arms. Dreaded locks of hair poked out from behind the bags.

“Isaiah, if you and your guests aren't busy, could you help with the groceries? The rest are still in the back of the truck,” came a soft voice.

“One second, Jesse.” He returned his gaze to Wynonna and Dolls. “You two just gonna sit there, or are you going to help with the bags?”

Wynonna shared a look with Dolls before he stood from the couch and joined her at the doorway. The two of them followed Isaiah outside to the truck. When they returned to the house and trudged into the kitchen, their arms were filled with grocery bags stuffed with food and the household necessities Wynonna usually forgot to grab whenever she went to the store, like toilet paper. Wynonna set her bags on the table and Dolls placed his on the counter. Before they could get back to questioning Isaiah, Jesse was in front of them, a bright smile on their face and a plate of chocolate chip cookies in their hands.

“There are fresh jars of milk in the fridge, if you like,” they said. Wynonna helped herself—she wasn't one to turn down free cookies—but Dolls only took one and nibbled thoughtfully. “I'm sorry I don't have more to give you. Isaiah didn't mention we were having guests.”

“Didn't know,” came the gruff response from the man shoving groceries into the refrigerator. “Seems people have a habit of surprising me lately.”

The smile on Jesse's face flickered, but they handed the plate of cookies to Wynonna, whose eyes widened in delight, before they dug through one of the bags on the counter. The smile returned in full force when Jesse found what they were looking for and hid it behind their back as they approached Isaiah. They tapped him on the shoulder and when he looked over his shoulder, Jesse had a bushel of deep red rhubarb stalks in their hand.

“First of the season,” Jesse said in a sing-song voice. They waved the sturdy stalks in front of Isaiah. “Perfect for that rhubarb cake you like so much.” Dolls cleared his throat, and Jesse looked over their shoulder. “Oh, you're welcome to have some, too, if you don't mind sticking around to help make it.”

“Jesse, I don't think that's such a good idea.”

“And I agree,” Dolls said. “We just came to ask Isaiah a few questions. Cake wasn't really in the equation.”

“Yeah, and you asked your questions, so maybe it's time you two left so Jesse and I can enjoy the rest of our day.”

Jesse's nose crinkled. “What kind of questions? Isaiah's not in trouble, is he?”

“Not sure yet,” Wynonna said. She locked eyes with the large man near the fridge. “He hasn't exactly been forthcoming with information, so it's hard to make heads or tails of the situation.”

Jesse studied Wynonna with narrowed eyes and the easy demeanor that they had carried earlier was gone. “I think Isaiah's right. It's time you left.”

“Jesse—”

“Don't 'Jesse' me. I don't like what she's insinuating. You haven't done anything wrong.” They crossed their arms over their chest. “You're not a criminal and you don't deserve to be treated like one.”

Wynonna scoffed. “Okay, I'm not treating him like a criminal. I _know_ how criminals get treated.”

“Yeah, from personal experience,” Jesse said. They set the stalks of rhubarb on the counter by the sink, then said, “Give me back my cookies and get out.”

Before Wynonna could respond, the plate was ripped out of her hand, and she was left staring at the last of the half-eaten cookie in the other hand. She sighed and rubbed the back of her head.

“Look, I wasn't trying to imply he did anything wrong.”

“Earp,” Dolls said from beside her, “I think we've done enough here. We'll ask around somewhere else.”

“Yeah well, maybe teach this one how to ask some better questions,” Isaiah said. “Might waste less time that way.”

“Hey!”

“Come on, Earp,” Dolls said, and Wynonna glared at Isaiah but followed Dolls outside.

When they were back in the SUV, she sighed and buckled herself in.

“I really messed that one up, huh?”

“I've seen worse interrogations,” Dolls said with a shrug. He dug through his pockets and produced the keys to the SUV. After the engine hummed to life, he turned to look at her. “Isaiah was right, though. We really need to work on your technique, or we're never going to get any answers.”

“Well excuse the hell out of me. Not all of us went to fancy interrogation school. _Some_ of us had to learn from Law and Order reruns.”

“Actually, I learned from Sheriff Nedley.” He shifted the car into reverse and started down the driveway while Wynonna's mouth hung open.

“Oh my god, I hate that I can't tell if you're joking or not.” Dolls only laughed in response. “You're an ass, you know that?”

She sighed and looked out the window, watching the ranch roll by as they drove down the road. It had been a wasted trip, but at least the company had been nice.

Still, she hoped Waverly had had better luck than her. 

* * *

 

“You haven't seen my girlfriend, have you, miss? I thought I might find her here.”

Waverly startled in her chair at the sound of Nicole's voice. She looked over her shoulder, wincing at the stiff muscles, and her eyes lit up at the sight of Nicole leaning against the doorjamb. Her soft eyes and warm smile were welcome amongst the newspaper clippings and photographs spread over the table.

“Can't say I've seen anyone else around,” Waverly said as she pushed her chair back. She rose from her seat and sauntered over to Nicole, holding her gaze as she walked, and when she reached her, she took hold of the edges of Nicole's denim jacket and looked up at her with a wide smile on her face.“You know, if you give me a good description, I could help you find her.”

Nicole placed her palm against Waverly's cheek. “Well,” she said, “she's about your height. Same build, too.” She slid her hand down to Waverly's jaw and ran her thumb along the soft skin there. “Same very kissable lips,” she said before leaning down to capture Waverly's lips in her own. Her hand slid from Waverly's cheek to her hair, and she tangled her fingers in the long tresses.

Waverly fought the urge to slip her hands beneath Nicole's shirt to feel the soft skin hidden beneath it. Instead, she tugged her closer so their bodies were pressed together. When they broke apart, they were close enough that Nicole's breath was still warm on her lips. Her nose scrunched a moment later.

“You smell like vinegar.”

“Just a new cologne I'm trying out. It's called 'I used too much vinegar on the floors today'.”

“Oh, very sexy,” Waverly teased.

“I know, but I think I'll save it for special occasions from now on,” Nicole said. Her gaze wandered over Waverly's shoulder to the table covered in clippings and photographs. “Find anything interesting?”

Waverly's eyes lit up and she took Nicole's hands. She dragged her to the table and waved her arm over the documents. She pointed to a clean-shaven gentleman wearing a bandanna over his long, brown hair. A pair of sunglasses hid his eyes. He was nose to nose with Isaiah, matching him in height.

“Meet Mr. Jimmy Jackson and his merry band of horse thieves,” Waverly said, a wide smile on her face. “The five of them were tracked and trapped by Wyatt Earp in 1886. Now they're back by unpopular demand.” Nicole laughed and wrapped her arms around Waverly's waist. She rested her chin on Waverly's shoulder and followed along as Waverly talked about the people in the photographs. “I've found a couple mentions of them in later papers, too. Seems they can't seem to stay out of trouble whenever they resurrect.”

Nicole reached out with one hand and pointed to the picture of Isaiah and Jimmy. “Looks like these two may have had a falling out after a couple resurrections.”

“Oh! That's the weird thing,” Waverly said. “I combed through all of these documents with a frickin' fine-toothed comb and couldn't find anything on Isaiah from Wyatt's time. There's nothing in today's records either. Nothing relevant, anyway.” Her brow furrowed. “I swear, Isaiah's been around all my life, but aside from advertisements for riding lessons, there's nothing in the papers about him or in the town's records.”

“You'll figure it out, Wave,” Nicole said, and Waverly felt the soft brush of lips against her cheek. “Does he have any family in town you could talk to? Maybe learn a little more about him?”

Waverly shook her head. “No. His parents passed years ago,” she said. She pursed her lips and filed through a stack of newspaper articles until she came across the one she was looking for. The front page was taken up by a picture of a young girl, a pink cowgirl hat on her head and a large trophy in her hands. Her lips were drawn in a wide smile, but there was something off about it. “I found this article about his sister Isabelle. She won like, a crapload of riding competitions when she was younger. She must have moved out of Purgatory, though. Maybe I can find a phone number for her or something. Get in touch.”

“Can't hurt to try,” Nicole said. “Do you want to look for it tonight?”

Waverly shook her head. “It's late. Even if I found her number, I wouldn't want to disturb her,” she said. She turned in Nicole's arms and smiled up at her. “No, I think it's time to pack it up for the night and try again tomorrow.” She draped her arms over Nicole's shoulders. “Besides, if I remember correctly, we have a movie night planned.”

Nicole's smile mirrored her own. “I believe we do, Ms. Earp.”

With Nicole's help, it didn't take long to pack up the photographs and the copies of the newspaper clippings she had made. Joseph had brought her a box hours ago, knowing how she liked to take her research home with her. Once everything had been gathered in the box, she hefted it into her arms and Nicole held the door open for her. She nodded at Joseph on their way out.

The sweet kiss of fresh air greeted her when she stepped outside and she happily took a deep breath. She made her way to the Jeep parked near the sidewalk and deposited the box of papers in the backseat. Nicole had already opened the passenger door, but Waverly shook her head.

“Can we swing by the store first? We're low on snacks.”

“I think we can manage that,” Nicole said. She went around the front of the car and joined Waverly on the driver's side. “Wynonna said she'd be another hour anyway.”

Waverly's brow furrowed. “She's not back at the homestead already?”

“No.” Nicole shook her head. “I guess they somehow managed to get a flat and the spare was no better. A tow truck is finally on its way out there.”

“Well it was nice of her to let me know,” Waverly said. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and found a text from Wynonna on the screen with the exact message Nicole had just given her. She slid the phone back in her pocket and started down the road towards Purgatory's small supermarket. “Never mind. Apparently the service sucks up there.”

“It's Purgatory,” Nicole remarked. “I think the service sucks everywhere.”

Waverly shrugged. Nicole had a point.

They walked side by side at the edge of the deserted street. It wasn't long before both women reached out for the other so they could intertwine their fingers and let their hands swing between them as they walked. Waverly glanced at the woman beside her and thoughts of the conversation with Wynonna earlier that day filled her head.

Logically, she knew she shouldn't be afraid of Nicole's answer. She already practically lived at the homestead. Asking her was just a formality.

“You alright, Wave?”

“Yeah, I'm great,” Waverly said as they stepped through the door to the convenience store. Nicole hummed in response. “Seriously. I'm totally fine. Just, you know, thinking.”

“Alright.”

“Really!”

“Waverly, I believe you,” Nicole said, an amused smile on her face. “If you say you're fine, then you're fine.”

“Fine,” Waverly said with a huff.

Silence settled over them as they walked hand in hand down the chip aisle. They browsed the limited options and finally settled on plain old potato chips for the night. When they started towards the section lined with boxes of popcorn, however, Nicole spoke up again.

“You just seemed kinda nervous, is all.”

“Well, I'm not.”

“Okay.”

Waverly sighed and pulled her aside in the freezer aisle. “I just... There's been a question on my mind the last few days, and it's silly.”

“Not possible, but go on.”

Waverly wasn't sure if it was the way Nicole's eyes softened as she spoke or the reassuring warmth of Nicole's palm in hers, but she threw caution to the wind and said, “I want you to move in with Wynonna and me. Well, mostly I want you to move in with me, but it's obviously Wynonna's home, too, so of course she's going to be there, but you're used to that, right? Plus, I'm sure Cat would love wandering the barn, though she'd have to get used to sharing it with Doc.” Waverly's rambling tapered off as she caught sight of the way Nicole's eyes had widened. “And usually you've said something by now before I can freak myself out. Feel free to keep up the pattern and help me out here, Nicole.” A nervous laugh escaped. When Nicole still hadn't responded, Waverly released her hand and folded her arms over her stomach. “Or maybe I just misread things.”

“Waverly, no,” Nicole said, but she couldn't seem to meet her gaze. “You just, you took me by surprise is all.”

“Because you practically live there already?”

Nicole's lips moved to speak, but her gaze drifted to something behind Waverly and whatever she had to say died on the tip of her tongue. Waverly looked over her shoulder and found the striking woman with the long, tousled blonde hair from earlier standing in the aisle, her cool blue eyes pinned on the two of them.

Nicole's voice was barely above a whisper when she said, “Jo?”

“Hey, Nicole,” Joanna said, and the corners of her lips curled upwards into a smile. “Funny running into you here.” The icy eyes shifted from Nicole down to Waverly. “Nice to see you again, Waverly. I wasn't aware you and Nicole were friends.”

“Actually—”

“What are you doing here?” Nicole's voice was hard and her posture stiff, so different from what Waverly was accustomed to. The distance she had put between them was new as well, and Waverly found that she didn't like when Nicole's hand was too far from hers to hold.

Joanna shrugged. “I needed a vacation.”

“So you came to Purgatory?”

“Yeah. I needed to get out of the city. You know how it is. There's just too much noise there. You have to admit, it's peaceful here. And the scenery isn't bad either.” Her icy gaze shifted to Waverly and her lips twitched into a smile. Waverly shivered under the attention. Joanna's eyes darkened when she turned her attention back to Nicole and her lips formed a slight pout. “Really, though, after all this time I thought you'd be happy to see me, Nicky.”

“Don't,” Nicole said. Her hands balled into fists and she looked away from Joanna.

Waverly wasn't an idiot, especially not when it came to Nicole. She knew when she needed an exit. She made a show of patting her pockets, then turned to her girlfriend.

“Shit, Nicole, I think my wallet fell out when we were loading up the car earlier,” she said. “Can you come help me look for it?”

Without waiting for Nicole's answer, she shoved the bags of chips into the nearest cooler and started down the aisle, away from Joanna. It took longer than she would have liked, but Nicole caught up to her. When Waverly tried to take her by the hand though, she pulled away and avoided her gaze.

The walk back to the Jeep felt long and lonely, the tension between them unfamiliar. Questions had already begun to pile in Waverly's head, though she was sure she knew the answer to the biggest one. She sighed as they approached the Jeep and pulled the keys out of her pocket to unlock it. While she pulled herself into the driver's seat, Nicole slid into the passenger seat and shut the door. Without a word, Waverly started the engine and pulled away from the sidewalk.

It wasn't until they were on the road out of town that she finally allowed herself to glance at Nicole.

Her shoulders were hunched, as if she was trying to make herself smaller, and she kept her gaze fixated on the plains passing by the window. Slowly, Waverly reached for Nicole's hand, heart thudding in her chest at the thought of her pulling away again. She didn't, and Waverly breathed a sigh of relief.

“I'm sorry.” The soft apology filled the Jeep. Nicole's gaze had shifted from the window up to the vinyl roof. Nicole took a deep breath to steady herself, and Waverly gently squeezed her hand in support. “Jo just... she took me by surprise, is all.”

“Jo, huh?”

“Yeah. Jo.” Nicole ran her fingers through her hair with her free hand. “We haven't seen each other in months. For her to suddenly just show up in Purgatory of all places is a little, well, bizarre.”

Such a simple sentence spoke volumes to Waverly. According to Doc, Nicole had barely blinked when he told her about the demons in Purgatory, yet Joanna's appearance had Nicole on edge and Waverly could tell she was holding something back. She gave Nicole's hand another gentle squeeze, but she let the silence fill the Jeep once more. She had been hoping for a little more information on the mysterious stranger, but it seemed Nicole wouldn't be forthcoming with it any time soon. Which was fine—Nicole was entitled to her secrets after all—but that didn't stop Waverly's mind from wandering as they drove down the road towards the darkening horizon.

After they pulled up to the homestead, Waverly sent Wynonna a text, asking her to pick up snacks since she had been the one to eat the last of them anyway. She got one back, asking why they hadn't picked any up while they were in town.

Waverly glanced at Nicole as they made their way to the front porch, then sent back, “We ran into someone at the store. I think she was Nicole's ex. It was awkward. We left.”

“Got it,” was all Wynonna sent back.

The house was dark when they stepped through the door. Doc must have decided the barn was more to his tastes for the night. Waverly flicked on the lights and Nicole slipped into the kitchen while she searched through a stack of DVDs near the television. After she found the one she was looking for, she slipped it into the player and turned towards the couch, only to find that Nicole hadn't returned yet. Her brow furrowed and she headed towards the kitchen, but stopped at the doorway.

Nicole stood at the kitchen sink with a tight grip on the edge of the counter as she stared out the window into the dark night. Her shoulders were tense and even from where Waverly was standing, she could see Nicole's clenched jaw.

“Hey,” she said, and Nicole looked over her shoulder. The tension visibly left her body and she crossed the kitchen to Waverly. “You alright?”

“I'm okay, baby,” Nicole assured her. “The movie ready?”

“Just waiting on you.”

“Then I guess we shouldn't keep it waiting any longer.”

Nicole winked and Waverly rolled her eyes, but stood on her toes to place a quick kiss on Nicole's lips. The smile she got in return was almost enough to make her forget Nicole's strange behavior.

Waverly led the way back to the living room and Nicole pulled the quilt off the back of the couch before they settled on the couch for the movie. Once both of them were covered with the quilt, Waverly curled against Nicole's side and slipped her arm behind her back. She was about to hit 'play' when Nicole's soft voice gave her pause.

“Waverly?”

“Hm?”

Nicole fidgeted with the hem of the blanket as she stared at the television, and Waverly wondered if she had been mistaken. Maybe she hadn't said her name. But then she stopped fidgeting and the words finally came. “You've never... I mean, I know I came on strong that first night at Shorty's, but you've never done something with me because you thought you had to, have you?”

“Nicole,” Waverly said, “like I told you this morning, I don't do things that I don't want to.” Despite Waverly's words, Nicole still looked unsure. Waverly placed her free hand against Nicole's cheek. “Hey,” she said, “look at me?” It took a moment, but Nicole pulled her gaze away from the television and let it meet Waverly's for the first time since the grocery store. Warm, brown eyes seemed to be searching hers for some kind of answer to a question Nicole couldn't bring herself to ask. “You, Nicole Haught, have been wonderful and patient with me since the first night we met. I've never felt pressured by you in the least.”

The hint of a smile appeared on Nicole's face. The smile grew when Waverly pressed a kiss to the corner of her lips and she soon felt Nicole's hand gently wrap around her wrist, as if grounding her in the moment. When she pulled back, the dark fear she had seen lurking in Nicole's eyes had fled.

They settled back into position—Waverly curled against Nicole's side with Nicole's arm draped over her shoulder, holding her close—and let the movie play. A multitude of questions still lurked at the back of Waverly's mind, but then the movie ended and Wynonna, Doc, and Dolls stepped through the front door, their arms full of the snacks Waverly had requested. Laughter filled the living room as the night went on and Nicole's smile was back in full force.

It wasn't until they climbed the stairs and slipped into their bedroom—long after the clock had chimed midnight—that Waverly realized how shaken Nicole still was. Despite the wide grin that had been on her face in the living room, she now sat at the edge of the bed while Waverly climbed under the blankets. She thought Nicole would join her, but whatever she was thinking about kept her firmly planted on the edge of the bed.

“Hey,” Waverly said from her side of the mattress, and Nicole looked over her shoulder with a forced smile on her face. She patted the space beside her and said, “Come here.” Nicole slipped under the blankets and reached out to gather Waverly in her arms the way she normally would, but Waverly shook her head. “How about I hold you tonight, huh?”

Nicole was quiet for a moment, before she nodded and said, “I think I would really like that, Wave.”

Nicole scooted a few inches down the mattress so her forehead rested just beneath Waverly's chin, and Waverly slipped her arms around her to keep her close. She stayed awake, running her fingertips along Nicole's back, until she felt Nicole relax in her arms and her breathing change. Once she was sure Nicole was asleep, she let herself drift off as well, all the while wondering what about Joanna had her girlfriend so on edge.

 


	2. A Cold Day in July

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a few days early, but chapter four is progressing very well (finally) and I am terrible at self-control, so here y'all go. I apologize for any typos since they are bound to happen.

The soft patter of rain against the window pane invaded Waverly's sleepy dreams. It was a light sound, soft and soothing, and made her snuggle even closer against the woman asleep in her arms. Nicole mumbled nonsensical words against Waverly's chest, bringing a smile to her face. According to the alarm clock on the table beside the bed, they still had five minutes before Nicole had to wake up for work, but she thought her girlfriend would appreciate a far more pleasant awakening than the shriek of the alarm.

Softly, she placed a kiss against Nicole's forehead and slowly worked her way down to her lips, slightly parted in sleep. She grinned when she felt Nicole's sleepy smile. Her hand slipped beneath the fabric of Nicole's t-shirt so she could trail her fingertips along the expanse of smooth skin hidden beneath, but Nicole startled at the soft touch and her eyes cracked open.

“Good morning, sleepy head.”

“Morning,” Nicole said, her voice still heavy.

She rolled out of Waverly's arms and reached out to turn off the alarm clock before it could fill the room with its shrill screech. Waverly's brow furrowed when Nicole swung her legs over the edge of the bed and combed her fingers through her hair. She propped her head up on her hand and watched as Nicole started to get ready for work in the early dawn light, dulled by the grey clouds outside the window.

“Hey,” she said after Nicole had tugged the tan pants of her uniform up to her hips. Nicole turned from the dresser to face her. Her shirt was only half-buttoned—Nicole had also missed a few in her sleepy state, so it was lopsided as well—her hair was wild, and she was still fiddling with the button to her pants. Waverly would have smiled at the sight if it weren't for the distant expression on Nicole's face. “Everything alright?”

Wherever Nicole's thoughts had wandered, the question brought her back to the present.

“Sorry. Guess I'm still half-asleep,” Nicole said with a quiet laugh. She came back to the bed and crawled onto the mattress so she could capture Waverly's lips in a tender kiss. When she pulled back, the warmth had returned to her brown eyes, accompanied by a playful glimmer. “Think I could stop by Shorty's for lunch?”

“Always.”

“Good, because I think my favorite bartender is working today and I'd really like to see her.”

Waverly laughed and shook her head. “You're such a dork.”

Nicole winked in response and, after one more kiss, she slid off the bed. She was about to walk through the bedroom door when Waverly called out after her.

“Officer Haught,” she said, and Nicole jerked to a stop and turned back around, her eyebrow quirked in curiosity. “I know Purgatory PD can be pretty slack, but are you really gonna go to work with your hair down and your shirt only half-buttoned?”

Pale cheeks burned bright red and Nicole mumbled to herself as she quickly buttoned the remaining portion of her shirt. Normally nimble fingers fumbled with her hair, but Waverly eventually took pity on her and left the comfort of the bed so she could help Nicole with the tight braid. Nicole huffed and turned around so Waverly could take over. As she threaded the strands of hair together, Waverly couldn't help but notice the stiffness in Nicole's posture. Despite her earlier words and the playful mood she had been in, tension radiated off her girlfriend's body in waves.

Once Waverly finished the braid, Nicole started to pull away from her, but Waverly gently took her by the wrist and stopped her in her tracks. Rather than force her to turn, she stepped around so she was in front of Nicole. She placed the palm of her hand against Nicole's cheek.

“You sure you're alright? You seem distracted.”

Nicole turned her head to kiss Waverly's hand in response. “I'll be fine, baby. I promise.”

“Nicole...”

“I promise, Waverly,” she repeated. “But I gotta go now or I'm gonna be late.” She pressed a final kiss to Waverly's cheek and said, “I'll see you at lunch.”

Nicole retreated through the bedroom door, into the hallway. Waverly listened as the sound of her steps softened until she heard the creak of the front door. The familiar rumble of Nicole's car coming to life could be heard over the rain, but it wasn't long before that sound trailed off as well. Waverly sighed and left the bedroom, any thoughts of returning to bed soured by the worry for Nicole tying her stomach into knots.

* * *

Wynonna groaned as consciousness pricked at her edges. Thankfully, she had had a dreamless sleep throughout the night—her second in a row—and she would have loved to have stayed in that state of rest, but it seemed her body wouldn't be letting her fall back asleep any time soon. Resigned to being awake, she stretched her legs, her toes curling at the pleasant pull in her muscles. When she cracked open her eyes, the first thing she saw was the pair of glasses perched on the tip of Dolls's nose, followed by the book in the hand outstretched in front of his face. His free hand idly played with the dark tips of Wynonna's hair

“Morning, nerd,” she said in a voice roughened by sleep. “Surprised you didn't wind up back at the station to nap under your desk since I'm pretty sure you're hiding a bed in there somewhere.”

“Too busy serving as a pillow, Earp,” Dolls said, his eyes never leaving the pages of his book.

“And what a great pillow you are.” Wynonna hummed. “How are you even awake and functional so friggin' early?” she asked. “Never mind. It's probably just another freaky supernatural ability of yours.”

The sound of footsteps descending the staircase reached Wynonna's ears and she sat up, the blanket that had covered her pooling around her waist in the process, and she found Nicole hurrying to slide her boots on for work by the front door.

“Where's the fire, Haught Stuff? You're not running that late, are you?”

She had become aware of Nicole's schedule over the last few months, and even when she was running late, Nicole still had time to be seen out by Waverly. Today, it looked like she couldn't get out the door fast enough, almost as if she were fleeing from the house.

“Morning, Wynonna,” Nicole said. Then she pulled the door open and tossed a, “Bye, Wynonna,” over her shoulder as she hurried outside. The door banged shut behind her.

Wynonna's brow furrowed and she twisted to look back at Dolls. “Okay, I know you're not here most mornings, but that was weird, right? I'm not just imagining it?”

“Officer Haught saying good morning to you? Very strange indeed, since I'm sure you're usually still asleep right now,” Dolls said as he turned a page, “or just ignoring my calls for you to come down to the station.”

Wynonna swatted his arm. “No, I meant the way she rushed out of here.”

Dolls stared at his book for a moment before he set it aside on the armrest and looked down at Wynonna. “If you say she's acting weird, then I believe you,” he said. “But like you said, I'm not here most mornings.”

“Which is a shame, because you're not a bad sight to wake up to.”

Dolls didn't respond, but she did see the corners of his mouth twitch slightly. She could almost call it a smile.

The stairs creaked again. This time it was Waverly coming down, her arms crossed over her stomach and her expression thoughtful. Her eyes wandered to the front door before she headed for the kitchen. Curiosity and the smell of coffee brewing propelled Wynonna from the couch to the kitchen, where she found Waverly getting down four cups, only to pause, then put one of them back in the cupboard.

“Hey,” Wynonna said from the doorway, and Waverly looked over her shoulder. “So uh, I don't really know how to ask this delicately, so I guess I'll just barrel my way through it. Did something happen between you and Nicole last night after you went to bed?” Her eyes widened. “Oh god, you asked her to move in and she flipped her shit, didn't she? I'm sorry, Waves. I really thought—”

“Wynonna,” Waverly said, “it wasn't like that.”

“Oh.” Wynonna crossed the kitchen to join Waverly at the counter. She leaned against the counter and gently kicked at Waverly's leg. “Was it the other thing you mentioned? The ex?”

Waverly shrugged. “I don't know. I mean, she did react kind of strangely when I asked her to officially move in, and that was before we ran into Joanna.”

“Wait, you lost me. So you did ask her?”

“Yeah, and she didn't seem as thrilled as I had hoped, but then Joanna showed up before we could talk about it,” Waverly said. “Besides, I don't even know if she's really an ex, or just someone she used to know from the city. Nicole's keeping the details pretty close to her chest.”

As casual as Waverly tried to sound about the situation, Wynonna could see how much it actually bothered her in the way her fingers fidgeted. She reached out and placed her hand on Waverly's shoulder. She was still getting the hang of the whole 'comforting' thing—and she definitely didn't know the right words to say to make things better—but the touch seemed to help and Waverly's hands stilled. A cough from the doorway made them both look towards the living room. Dolls stood near the wall, his cellphone in hand.

“One of Nedley's patrol officers caught sight of those trailer park boys heading out to the ranch again last night. Didn't report it 'til he got back in this morning,” he said. He made his way into the kitchen and joined them at the counter. He put away the ceramic mug Waverly had pulled down and exchanged it for a travel mug. As he poured himself a cup to go, he said, “Something tells me the visit wasn't about saddlebags this time.”

“Yeah, and something tells me it wasn't about saddlebags last time either,” Wynonna said, her voice a low growl. “Think Isaiah will be a little more receptive this time?”

“Doubt it,” Dolls said. “Which is why we'll be taking a trip out to the trailer park instead.”

“Awesome,” Wynonna said. She rested her forehead on Waverly's shoulder. “If I come back with a mullet, just take me behind the barn and put me out of my misery.” Waverly only patted her on the shoulder in response. Wynonna sighed and pulled away. “Let me get some coffee and a change of clothes and I guess we can go do Black Badge business.”

“I'll go check on Doc. See if he's interested in playing cowboy for a little while,” Dolls said before he disappeared back into the living room, travel mug in hand.

Wynonna returned her attention to Waverly and gave her what she hoped was a comforting smile. “Look, if you need me to give Nicole a talking to or just get some booze in her to loosen her up a bit, let me know.”

“Thanks, Wynonna, but I think we'll be okay,” Waverly said with a soft smile.

“Well if you change your mind, you know who to talk to,” Wynonna said with a wink before she followed Dolls into the living room.

Two piles of clothes had been set aside in the corner of the living room and Wynonna grabbed a shirt from one. She sniffed it, grimaced, and tried one from the other pile, only to grimace again. Of course she had mixed up her dirty and clean clothes. Three shirts later, she finally found a clean one—or at least one that smelled good—and pulled her tank top over her head so she could change. Her ripped jeans were probably clean enough, so she just slipped those back on and headed for the front door, grabbing her leather jacket off the coat rack on the way outside.

Dolls was already in the driver seat of the SUV and Doc had let himself into the backseat. It seemed he was up for a little action after a day of lazing about in the barn. Wynonna slid into the passenger seat and shook the rain from her damp locks. Dolls only shook his head beside her before starting the engine and backing out of the driveway. Once they were on the road, Doc leaned forward so his face filled the space between the two front seats.

“So Dolls tells me the two of you had the pleasure of visiting a horse ranch yesterday and you weren't even inclined to invite me along for the ride.”

“You were busy sleeping off a hangover,” Wynonna said. “It's not like we knew that's where we would end up.”

“Yes, well, for the record, I would be more than willing to accompany you to the ranch the next time you visit.”

“We are _not_ going to that ranch again just so you can relive your glory days, Henry.”

Doc scoffed. “Deputy Dolls, I am offended that you would even have a notion like that in your head. I'll have you know, you can tell a lot about a person by how well they treat their horses, and I'd like to get an idea about this Isaiah fellow you two spoke with yesterday,” he said. “And if I happen to get a little ridin' in, what's the harm?”

“Do you want the whole list or the shortened version?” Wynonna asked as she reached for a coffee mug in the cup holder between the seats, only to realize she had forgotten to bring coffee with her.

Shit.

She snuck a glance at Dolls, and he happened to look over in time to catch her gaze, along with the slight pout on her face. He nodded, and Wynonna happily took the mug from his cup holder and sipped at the dark, bitter drink. She made a mental note to get him some more if they stopped by the police station later.

As they got closer to town and the trailer park just beyond it, Wynonna slid Peacemaker out of its holster and dug through the glove compartment for the soft rag she kept stashed there. Maybe it was just her being superstitious, but Peacemaker always seemed to shoot a little straighter after she shined it, like it was thankful for the ministrations. Not that Wynonna thought the gun was sentient, but she _totally_ thought it had a mind of its own.

By the time they reached the gates of the trailer park, Peacemaker glistened in her hand, all traces of fingerprints wiped clean. She rolled the cylinder with the palm of her hand and the soft whir filled the SUV. Once it stopped, she looked at Doc and Dolls, a smirk on her face.

“Let's go get our guys, boys,” she said before she lifted her ass off the seat so she could slide Peacemaker back into its holster.

When they approached the large gate, a gruff looking biker on guard duty looked down on them from his damp perch—a tall chair that looked like it belonged at a poolside for a lifeguard rather than under a Revenant's backside at a trailer park—but refused to open the gate. Wynonna rolled her eyes when Dolls pulled his badge and flashed it at the man guarding the gate. It wasn't like the Rev Heads didn't know who they were. Ever since Bobo had caught a one-way ticket on the Peacemaker express to Hell though, the trailer park Revenants had been less inclined to work with them. Never mind how often she tried to explain that she had done him a favor by sending his sorry ass to Hell once he was over the line. They weren't buying it.

“Told you last time, girlie,” the man on guard said with a sneer. “You and your fancy friends ain't getting in here again.”

Doc smiled and pulled his hat off his head, pressing it to his chest. “Come now, Joshua. Don't tell me you're not in the mood to win a little money off me and my friends here. Why, Wynonna just got paid two days ago and I think she has a few dollars left that she hasn't spent on alcohol yet.”

“Doc!” Wynonna hissed. “One of us has to pay for the booze, and you don't exactly have a job, so don't go gambling away all of my money!”

He waved his hat at her before he placed it back on his head and gave the Revenant guard the most earnest look he could muster. “We've got the cash. If you win, it's yours.”

“And if we win,” Dolls said, “we get a one-on-one with one of your guys.”

The scruffy Revenant shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Then he pulled a walkie from the top of his jeans and spoke a few muffled words into it. A garbled sound came from the other end and the Revenant visibly sighed before he scrambled down the chair to press the button that would open the gate.

“Peacemaker stays with that one,” he said, nodding towards Dolls. “Don't want you getting any ideas.”

“Me? Get an idea? I would never,” Wynonna said with a scoff, but she pulled Peacemaker from her hip—noticing the way the Revenant stepped back slightly—and handed it over to Dolls. She already missed the familiar weight against her thigh, but she told herself it wouldn't be long before she had it back in her hands. “Now how about we get somewhere dry so I can kick some ass at poker?” 

* * *

 Waverly had shined the glass in her hand at least three times already when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She set the glass on the bar and, after a quick scan of the few patrons in the bar, she pulled out the phone and found a text from Wynonna. Her brow furrowed at the message. Why would Wynonna need to borrow twenty bucks from her later?

She sent back a message that read, “Didn't you just get paid a few days ago?”

“Poker tournament with some trailer park Revs this morning. Doc won. Took all my money,” was the message she got back. It was followed by another that said, “Need a twenty for some more beer, which I will not be sharing with one John Henry.”

Waverly could only imagine the glare Wynonna was leveling at Doc. She snickered to herself and sent another message, asking if they had found any new information while she lost all her money. The response she got made her frown.

“The ones we were looking for didn't come back to the park last night. I went broke for nothing. Heading out to the ranch again. Should be back later tonight.”

Waverly sighed. She wished she didn't have work today. She would really like to be looking for more information on Jimmy and Isaiah to help her sister, but the bar wasn't the safest place to leave pictures like that lying around. To make matters worse, it was already nearly noon, and her lunch date still hadn't swung by the bar like she had said she would. Waverly had just started to compose a message to said lunch date when the door to Shorty's opened and butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she looked up from her phone, only for her hopes to be quickly dashed by a different familiar face.

“Joanna,” she said through a tight-lipped smile when the woman approached the bar.

“Afternoon, Waverly,” Joanna replied. A stool scraped across the wooden floor as she pulled it out then took a seat at the bar. She propped her chin on her hands and Waverly felt her eyes watching her as she picked up a new glass to clean. “You and Nicky never came back to the store after you found your wallet last night.”

Waverly paused with her hand still inside the glass. “Oh uh... yeah. My wallet wasn't in the car, so Nicole and I had to go check for it back home. We were too tired to go back out after that. You know how it is.”

“Right,” Joanna said, though she sounded skeptical. Luckily, she dropped the subject. “Look, I know it's barely noon, so how much would you judge me for ordering a Screwdriver right now? There's orange juice in it, so that has to count for something, yeah?”

Waverly studied her for a moment, then she shrugged. “You're in a tiny town called Purgatory. What do you think the locals do for fun around here?” She pulled a bottle of vodka from the counter, along with a jug of orange juice from the fridge under the bar. As she mixed the drink, she could feel Joanna's eyes on her, blue irises sparkling in the dim, low-hanging light above them. She set the glass in front of the woman and went back to polishing the others.

“You know, Nicky never mentioned the cute locals around here,” Joanna said. A clink of the glass against the counter followed the statement. “She also didn't mention they knew how to mix a damn good drink, either.”

Waverly paused yet again and turned her gaze towards Joanna. “So you're a friend of Nicole's? From the city?”

Joanna laughed and shook her head. She raised the glass to her lips again, but before she took another drink, she held Waverly's gaze. “Oh darlin',” she said, “we're far more than friends.” She winked, then threw back the rest of the drink. She slammed the glass back on the counter and grinned. Her expression turned quizzical as she tilted her head to the side. “So how did you and Nicky meet anyway? No offense, but you're not really the type of person she usually surrounds herself with.”

“We met here, actually, after a beer tap malfunctioned,” Waverly said. She couldn't help the smile that accompanied her thoughts about Nicole, and a pleasant warmth spread through her chest at the memory of how they met.

That same memory had been one of the few that made Waverly fight so many months ago against the creature that had possessed her. She never told Nicole—talking about those days when her body hadn't been her own was still difficult—but she tried to show her through touches and actions how important she had become.

So absorbed in the memories of a darker time, Waverly didn't realize Joanna was talking to her until she cleared her throat to get her attention. She held her empty glass out towards Waverly, but there was no malice in her expression.

“Any chance of me getting another? Or is one my limit?”

“Trust me, if I thought you had reached your limit, you'd know,” Waverly said as she grabbed the vodka bottle. After she mixed the drink and handed it to Joanna, she looked down at her cellphone and frowned when she still didn't find a text from Nicole, not even a response to the one she had sent at ten. “Excuse me. I need to go take my lunch break,” she said, and Joanna nodded in understanding.

Once Gus came by to take over for her, she kissed the older woman on the cheek and headed for the door. She grabbed her jacket off one of the hanging hooks and already had one arm in one of the sleeves as she slipped outside.

Her first order of business was to pick up lunch from the cafe.

After a quick conversation with the new owner—a nice, human woman named Lucille—Waverly left the restaurant with two to-go boxes in a paper bag and a drink carrier with three large paper cups. The second part of her mission was to track down her girlfriend at the police station and rescue her from whatever boring paperwork Nedley had assigned her to keep her busy. Or maybe there had been a call she had to respond to. Waverly frowned at that as she stepped into the police station. Even though Nicole always joked that Revenants made being a cop look like a walk in the park, Waverly knew that didn't make her job any less dangerous.

After all, it hadn't been a Revenant who shot Nicole in the chest, but Waverly's very human sister.

She pushed that particularly terrifying memory from her mind and approached the front desk, where Patricia sat filing her nails near the dispatch radio. With the sweetest smile she could muster, she greeted the old woman, only to be met with a withering glare, but Waverly was not discouraged. She set the drink carrier on the counter and pulled one of the cups free. The stony expression on Patricia's face cracked as Waverly handed the hot coffee—seven cream, seven sugar—over the counter. After she took a sip, her expression softened.

“You know just how to butter up a cantankerous old woman, don't you, Waverly Earp?”

Waverly grinned. “Just one of my many skills,” she said. Her gaze traveled over the rest of the station and, not finding her girlfriend hidden away behind a pile of paperwork, her brow furrowed. “You don't happen to know where Nicole is, do you?”

“She's not in Nedley's office, that's for sure,” Patricia said, and Waverly blushed. It seemed they hadn't been as discreet as they had hoped in their secret romantic meetings. “Last I knew, she scampered off to the workout room.”

“Thanks, Patti,” Waverly said with a sincere smile. She took the drink carrier from the counter and went in search of Nicole.

The sound of grunts greeted Waverly as she approached the workout room tucked in the back of the police station, followed by the solid thwack of knuckles hitting a heavy bag. Through the small window in the door, Waverly could see Nicole working the worn punching bag dangling from the ceiling by a thick chain. The uniform top and khakis had been cast off, exchanged for a white tank top and a pair of black shorts, and her hair had been loosed from its braid and thrown into a messy bun.

Slowly, Waverly opened the door so she wouldn't startle the other woman, but she remained in the doorway, transfixed by the flurry of punches Nicole threw at the heavy bag and the way it gave beneath the force of her blows. Every time it swung towards her, Nicole danced away, light and nimble on her feet, then threw another quick combo of jabs at the bag to send it careening away from her again. A light sheen of sweat coated her rosy skin.

Starting to feel a bit like a voyeur, she cleared her throat to get Nicole's attention. Her girlfriend took one last, powerful swing at the bag and the chains clattered as it swung backwards. Nicole turned around to face Waverly, her chest heaving as she caught her breath. The smile that spread across her face was enough to cause the strange feeling in Waverly's chest—the one that was warm and pleasant, but strange nonetheless—and it prompted her to smile back, despite the worry churning in her stomach over the missed lunch date.

“You look like you could use some cooling off,” Waverly said. She offered the drink carrier and Nicole walked over, a bounce in her step left from the workout on the heavy bag. The smile was still on her flushed face, smaller and softer than before, but still bright.

Nicole kissed Waverly's cheek and took the cup from the carrier. “You're sweet, Wave,” she said before gulping down the water.

Waverly shrugged. “It's the least I could do since you missed our lunch date.”

Nicole choked and, after a few long seconds of coughing and sputtering, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and looked at Waverly with wide eyes. “Oh god,” she said. “I am so sorry, Waverly.”

“Nicole, I get it. You got caught up in, well, this,” Waverly said, gesturing towards the heavy bag.

“You're still upset though.”

“I mean, I _had_ been looking forward to seeing you for a little while today,” she admitted. She let her gaze wander over the expanse of Nicole's body, lingering on the exposed collar bone, and her mouth went dry. “It uh... It's kind of hard to be mad at you when you're wearing that, though.”

Nicole tilted her head. “So you're saying I should keep wearing this to stay in your good graces?”

“I'm saying, Officer Haught, that you have many charms and it's easy to forgive you,” Waverly said. She held out the paper bag and smiled. “Also, I brought lunch to you since you didn't make it to me.”

“My hero.”

Nicole took the offered bag and headed for the bench on the side of the workout room. She patted the seat beside her and Waverly joined her. She grabbed her own to-go box from the bag while Nicole unwrapped her hands and lay the cloth out across the bench. She flexed her fingers and Waverly was about to bite into her burger when she saw the raw flesh of Nicole's knuckles, torn and red from hitting the rough fabric of the punching bag. She put the burger down, wiped her fingers on a napkin, then took one of Nicole's hands in hers.

“Waverly, it's fine,” Nicole said, but she didn't pull away while Waverly examined the cuts.

“You know, they make gloves for a reason,” Waverly said. She gently ran her thumb over the red knuckles then looked up to meet Nicole's gaze.

“Mine are back at my apartment,” she explained, “and I just... I really needed that.”

“Nicole...”

Nicole pulled her hand out of Waverly's grip and let it rest on her lap, which her eyes were glued to.

“Joanna stopped by the station a few hours ago,” she said, unable to look at Waverly as she spoke.

“Yeah, she swung by Shorty's, too.”

Nicole did look up at that, her eyes wide again. “She did?”

Waverly nodded. “We talked. About you. Well, sort of.”

“Of course,” Nicole said in a low voice before she stood up. “I'm sorry I missed our lunch date, Waverly, but I gotta go shower off and get back to work.”

“But your burger—”

“I'm not hungry,” Nicole said as she took long strides towards her duffel bag on the other side of the room.

Waverly followed after her.

“Now wait a second, Nicole. You don't get to stand me up and then ditch me without some kind of explanation,” Waverly said. “What is going on with you today?”

“Waverly, nothing is going on. I just need to shower.”

Waverly rolled her eyes. “Nothing's going on, but you had to beat the crap out of a punching bag because Joanna stopped by? How is that 'nothing,' Nicole?” The mention of Joanna's name made Nicole draw her lips into a thin, hard line. Whatever fight Waverly still had in her fled as silence filled the workout room. “She told me, you know. About the two of you,” she said in a softer voice. When Nicole didn't respond, she pressed on, saying, “If you didn't tell me because you were worried I'd be mad about that, I'm not. I swear. I had already kind of guessed anyway.” Waverly sighed when Nicole still didn't have an answer for her. “Alright. Fine. I'll leave the burger in the fridge in case you're hungry later. Don't let one of the guys eat it, okay?”

Defeated, she returned to the bench and gathered the food she had brought with her, ignoring the tears pricking her eyes. When she turned back around, though, Nicole was behind her again, fidgeting with the strap of her duffel bag.

“I wasn't afraid of how you would react, Waverly. I'm never afraid of you.”

“Never?” Waverly asked. “Not even when I've been possessed by gross monster goo?”

Nicole shook her head. “No, not even then, Wave,” she said with a small smile. “And I'm sorry for being an asshole, but Joanna isn't exactly my favorite person to talk about.”

“I get it. Bad break up?”

Nicole shook her head. “Not exactly, but I'd prefer to have this conversation later,” she said. “I really do need to shower, or Patti will make me do my paperwork outside so she doesn't have to smell me.”

“I see your point,” Waverly said. “We'll talk later then? For real?”

Nicole nodded and Waverly felt a weight lift off her shoulders. Before she could stop herself, she was wrapping Nicole in a hug despite the sweat that was still slick on her girlfriend's skin. When she pulled away, there was a smile on her face and one pricked at the corner of Nicole's lips as well, threatening to reveal itself at any moment.

If that was the best Waverly was going to get out of her, she figured it would have to do.

When she returned to Shorty's for the last half of her shift, Joanna was still there, though she had switched from Screwdrivers to a bottle of beer—one of the more expensive brands Shorty's kept on hand—and she grinned over her shoulder when Waverly walked through the door.

“Good lunch break?”

“Sure.”

She grabbed a damp rag to wipe down the counter, but every few minutes, she would see Joanna out of the corner of her eye. Her wild curls hung loose today, swept over one shoulder, and those icy eyes followed Waverly's every move. She stopped wiping down the bar and turned her full attention to the woman who would not take her eyes off her.

Her hands rested on her hips as she asked, “Is this really your idea of a vacation? Visiting hick towns just to drink in the local bars? Because that sounds like a shit vacation.”

“Hey, this isn't just any hick bar. This _is_ where Wyatt Earp drank, isn't it?”

Waverly's brow furrowed. “You don't really strike me as an Earper.”

Joanna snorted. “Oh god, is that what they're called?” She shook her head and took another sip from her beer. It clinked against the counter when she set it down. “Okay, you caught me. I didn't come to Purgatory because I'm interested in learning about some old gunslinger legend.”

“Then what, exactly, are you interested in? Because Purgatory isn't really a thriving tourism town.”

“Answers,” Joanna said. “You see, Waverly, I woke up one morning and my girlfriend had disappeared without a trace. No note, no phone call, no explanation whatsoever. None of our friends knew where she went. Not even her father. She left all of us without a word and dropped off the face of the earth.” She leaned forward, invading Waverly's space. “Imagine my surprise when, months later, I catch a feel-good clip on the news about some tiny town's fiftieth chili festival or something and I see my girlfriend for the first time in almost a year, smiling at me through a television screen.”

Waverly remembered the festival.

It was a few days after they had rescued Dolls from Black Badge and for once, the curse was the last thing on their minds. Waverly and Nicole had volunteered to shovel the chili into the bowls of the townsfolk while Wynonna, Doc, and a grumbling Dolls had amused them with a shooting competition. After Bobo,Willa, and everything that followed, all of them had been exhausted. The festival had been a welcome change of pace and its normalcy had them all grinning from ear to ear by the end of the day.

She hadn't realized the clip that had played on the local news later that night had somehow made its way to bigger news stations later that week.

“Two years together, and she didn't have the guts to tell me she was leaving.” Joanna's grip tightened on the bottle and she scowled. “But that's a classic Nicky, I guess. Always running.”

Waverly's brow furrowed.

_Champ was right. You're dating a cop now. We go where the danger is._

Nicole Haught was the furthest thing from a runner that Waverly could imagine, so how Joanna could have such a skewed opinion of her left Waverly baffled. And she hadn't missed the way she referred to Nicole, throwing around the word 'girlfriend' as if that's what Nicole still was to her. It was time to put an end to that.

“If you're going to keep shit-talking _my_ girlfriend, you can leave.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. Nicole doesn't deserve to be talked about that way, so either shut up or find somewhere else to drink.”

“There's nowhere else _to_ drink.”

Waverly raised her eyebrows. “Then I guess you better find something better to talk about if you want to keep being served.”

Joanna cocked her head to the side and studied Waverly for a moment before her lips curled into an amused smile. “You're funny, Waverly.” She dug into her pockets and slapped a pile of crumpled bills onto the counter. “When Nicky eventually runs off on you, your first drink is on me.”

The stool squeaked as she slid off it. Waverly hated the smirk that was plastered on her face as she left the bar and she scowled at the crumpled pile of bills littering the counter. Rather than put them in her tip jar, she stuffed the money in the drawer and the next three customers who ordered drinks would get them free of charge. She would have preferred to set the money on fire, but the last time she tried that with a sleazy customer's money, Gus had yelled at her, so buying her regulars their drinks would have to do.

The drawer to the register clicked shut and Waverly tapped her finger against the counter for a moment before she grabbed the damp rag from earlier. She had hoped the mundane task of wiping down the bar would take her mind off of Joanna's parting words, but they lingered even as she moved on to wipe down the empty tables and chat with the day-drinkers.

It wasn't until the afternoon rush hit that she was finally able to stop thinking about how sure of herself Joanna had sounded when she talked about Nicole leaving.

Waverly had never been more grateful for rowdy, drunken rednecks. 

* * *

The scowl on Wynonna's face had been present since the trailer park and the long drive to the ranch had only made it more prominent. Every time she glanced in the rear-view mirror, she glared at Doc in the back seat, but he only responded by pulling out the money he had won during the poker tournament. Her money. The money she had busted her ass for at the Black Badge while he wasted his days at the homestead drinking _her_ booze.

She muttered unintelligibly under her breath as the SUV rolled up to Isaiah's ranch. It came to a halt a few feet away from the gate, or where the gate would have been if it hadn't been torn off and left on the ground a few yards away.

“Huh,” Wynonna said.

Beside her, Dolls checked his handgun before he leveled his gaze at Wynonna. “Careful, Earp. Whoever messed with the gate could still be hanging around,” he said. He looked back at Doc and said, “Same goes for you, Henry.”

“If you recall, I'm not the one here with a penchant for getting shot, Deputy Marshall,” Doc said, but he winked at Dolls before he exited the SUV.

Wynonna rolled her eyes at the response but quickly followed suit, the slick gravel crunching beneath her boots. Even from the fence line, she could see the front door of the ranch house had been left wide open. Or torn open, given the state of the gate. As they approached the front porch, Wynonna frowned at the sight of the door hanging haphazardly from it hinges and the streaks of blood at its edges. As much as she loved being right, she hated when she was right about Revenants. She half-expected to find Isaiah torn to shreds by demons when she stepped through the threshold into the house.

Instead, they found the living room gutted. The couch cushions were shredded while the couch itself had been overturned. An end-table dipped towards the ground, two of its wooden legs broken. The shattered remains of a lamp rested beside it. Deep gouges in the wall caught her attention and she stepped closer to get a closer look. She dragged her hand over the claw marks and the edges were rough against her fingertips. She stopped her investigation when she heard a crashing sound down the nearby hall.

Dolls raised a finger to his lips and the two of them crept toward the sound while Doc remained in the sitting room to look for clues.

When they reached the room, chaos greeted them.

Drawers had been ripped from the dresser and thrown across the room, the majority of them in pieces with articles of clothing spilling out. The mattress had been flipped off its frame and the sheets torn away. Several photographs nestled in broken frames were scattered along the carpeted floor. In the middle of it all was Isaiah's hulking form, but his shoulders sagged as whatever rage that had filled him fled his body, leaving behind an empty husk. Broad shoulders silently shook before he wiped at his face and turned towards the doorway. His eyes briefly widened when his gaze landed on Wynonna and Dolls, only to narrow into a glare.

“You shouldn't be here,” he said. “You need to leave.”

“Heard you had some late night visitors, Isaiah,” Dolls said. “By the looks of things, they weren't very courteous.”

“It's nothing that concerns you.”

“Look, buddy. If those bikers are apart of it, you can bet your ass it concerns us,” Wynonna said, bristling at being brushed off. However, her eyes softened a moment later as she studied Isaiah's defeated posture. Whatever was going on between him and the Revenants, it was becoming clearer that Isaiah had not been a willing participant, and she felt like a dick for how she had acted the last time they met. She took a cautious step forward and felt Dolls' concerned eyes follow her, but he made no move to stop her as she approached Isaiah. “I know you don't trust us after how we treated you—well, I guess how _I_ treated you—yesterday, but you can't take these guys on by yourself, Isaiah. We can help you.”

“Maybe you think that, but you'll only make things worse,” Isaiah snapped at her. He straightened his posture, looking less like the defeated man they had walked in on and more like the intimidating one they had questioned the day before. “Do you think those demons out there will appreciate the Earp Heir hanging around me? Helping me?”

Wynonna's gaze shifted to Dolls, and even he looked rattled at Isaiah's knowledge of the Revenants and the Earp Curse. The last person they had told had been Nicole. Other Purgatory residents may have thought the town was strange, but as Nedley liked to put it, they usually chalked things up to the town being “quirky” rather than anything cursed or demonic.

“What do you know about the Earp curse?”

“Enough to know that if those bastards see me hanging around you, Jesse is as good as dead,” he said in a cold voice. “Now the two of you and your pet cowboy sniffing around my living room need to get out of my house before I throw you out.”

Dolls studied Isaiah a moment longer, then holstered his weapon. “Come on, Earp. There's nothing more we can do here if Mr. Lincoln isn't going to be more forthcoming,” he said, though Wynonna could see a twinkle in his eyes that usually meant he was far from done with the case at hand. He stepped out of the bedroom and headed back down the hall to join Doc in the sitting room.

Wynonna lingered near the doorway, watching Isaiah as he stiffly fumbled around the room, cleaning up the mess he had made. “Isaiah,” she said, and he looked up from the broken picture frame in his hands. Wynonna was careful to keep her voice steady and strong as she said, “We'll find a way to get you and Jesse out of this. I promise.”

Isaiah said nothing, but some of the tension seemed to melt from his posture.

It was all the answer Wynonna needed before she walked down the hall to join Dolls and Doc in the living room. She shouldered past the two of them and said, “We're getting Jesse back. I'm not letting my family's bullshit hurt another innocent person.”

Doc called after her, but she ignored him and headed for the SUV with long, determined strides. She refused to let her curse ruin more lives, and if that meant leaving Isaiah's property with more questions than what she had arrived with, then that's what she would do until she could find a way to fix the mess her great grandfather had caused.

One that didn't end with Jesse and Isaiah paying the price.

* * *

Waverly squinted as she focused on the newspaper article in the low light of the homestead's kitchen. Once the afternoon rush had died down, the rest of her shift at Shorty's had been uneventful, aside from escorting one of the day-drinkers back to his daughter's house after her shift because he needed a lift. After that, it had been a long, lonely drive back to the vacant homestead, where she had promptly buried herself in the only newspaper clippings she could find about Jimmy Jackson.

Now, as she stared down at the faded print, her brow furrowed at the list of family members that had survived Jimmy after Wyatt Earp had put him down during a shootout. On the list of surviving family members was a wife, followed by a young son and an even younger daughter. Logically, Waverly knew the Revenants had been people at one time—had lives before they were turned into demons—but it always jarred her to see evidence of who they had been, and discovering that Jimmy had had family before he was killed had thrown her for a loop.

Curious about those he had left behind, Waverly followed the records as best she could. She found an old marriage certificate for Jimmy's son to a nice a girl in the states. Chasing down that family line didn't yield many results though, as their children died in childbirth and the Jackson name died with them. There was another marriage certificate, though. One for the young daughter, who had married into the Lincoln family.

There was birth certificate in the stack of papers she had collected. Jimmy's daughter and her husband had had a son together. Peter. Waverly drummed her fingers on the table as she sifted through more old papers until one had a column that caught her eye.

A section in the monthly newspaper had been paid for by Peter's parents, welcoming him home from a long trip he had taken. There was a photograph included of a stocky, sandy-haired man—Peter, she assumed—with a smile on his face. Beside him stood a tall, dark-haired woman with golden, sun-kissed skin, whose smile was just as wide and bright as Peter's.

Another had a section that celebrated his union with his wife Hana, the woman who had come home with him. It was the last evidence of their family that she found before she reached the articles about Isabelle Lincoln and the blue ribbons she had amassed over the years.

It seemed Isabelle was the golden child of the Lincoln family, as there were no mentions of Isaiah or any ribbons he may have won.

Or maybe she was wrong.

Maybe Isaiah was from a different Lincoln family, which would mean all the digging she had just done was for nothing and she would be right back at square one, wondering what connection there was between the Revenants and Isaiah.

She chewed her lower lip and stared at the photograph from the last article about Isabelle's last win in the barrel race. Her eyes traced the teenager's face in the photo—surprisingly unhappy for someone who had just won first place—only to stop on a raw red mark that cut through Isabelle's left eyebrow.

A mark that hadn't been in previous photographs.

Waverly squinted and brought the paper closer. After a moment of studying the mark on Isabelle's eyebrow, she dug into the box beside her chair and pulled out the photograph of Isaiah and the Revenant that Dolls had left with her. She placed it beside the news article and, sure enough, where Isabelle had a raw cut through one eyebrow, Isaiah had a deep, white scar that sliced through his.

“Oh,” was all Waverly uttered before she quickly tucked the photograph and the newspaper clippings back into the box she had brought home from the library. She twiddled her thumbs and stared down at the kitchen table, feeling like she had stumbled onto a secret she wasn't supposed to know.

The biggest takeaway from her discovery, though, was that Isaiah was, in fact, related to the Revenant who had been visiting the ranch.

She wondered if Isaiah knew, or if his family had distanced themselves from that part of their history. Or maybe, like the Earp Curse, the legacy of Jimmy Jackson had followed his family from generation to generation. She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair before she pulled out her phone.

She had just sent a carefully-worded text to Wynonna about Isaiah's relation to Jimmy when a message from Nicole buzzed onto her screen.

Later that evening, when Wynonna, Dolls, and Doc came through the front door, Waverly was still in the kitchen. However, two bottles of wine now rested on the kitchen table, one completely empty and the other only half-full. At some point, Waverly had pulled rubber gloves over her hands and tied back her hair. The scrape of the sponge against the kitchen counter soothed her.

It kept her mind off the message Nicole had sent.

“Uh, Waves? You alright?”

Waverly startled at the sound of Wynonna's voice, but didn't let that slow her furious scrubbing of the counter. “I'm fine, Wynonna. Totally fine.”

“Okay,” Wynonna said, her voice a low drawl. “You know, I think Nicole already—”

“I know!” Waverly snapped, scrubbing even harder. “I know she already cleaned it. She already cleaned every damn thing in this house, but I need to scrub something before I shoot something!”

“Well if you're interested, Doc's always saying the barn could use some TLC,” Wynonna said. Waverly looked over her shoulder to glare at Wynonna, who raised her hands in surrender. “It was just a suggestion.”

“And I appreciate it, but I'm perfectly fine here, thank you,” she said with a small hiccup before returning her attention to the gleaming counter.

“Right,” Wynonna said. “I'd ask if you want to drink about it, but it looks like that ship has already sailed.”

Waverly stopped scrubbing when she realized her sister wasn't going to leave. She dropped the sponge in the sink, removed the gloves, and turned around to face Wynonna, swaying slightly from the alcohol in her system. She crossed her arms over her stomach and slumped against the counter.

“Nicole isn't coming home tonight,” she said. “She's staying at her apartment and she said she doesn't know when she'll be able to make it back out to the homestead.” She lowered her gaze to the floor. “She told me she needed a break.”

“Waves...”

Waverly looked up again and took a deep breath to calm herself. “It's fine,” she said, even as the ache in her chest told her it was anything but fine. Unable to handle the unusual softness of Wynonna's expression, she turned and stared out the window behind the sink. The same window Nicole had been staring out the night before with a lost look in her eyes. She sighed and shook her head. “I shouldn't have asked her to move in with me. God, I'm such an idiot.”

A soft touch on her shoulder urged her to turn. When she did, Wynonna pulled her into a tight hug and pressed a soft kiss against her temple. “You're not an idiot, Waverly,” she said. “And when we go back into town tomorrow, I'm gonna kick Nicole's ass.”

“Just leave her alone, Wynonna,” Waverly muttered into her sister's jacket. “If she wants space, I'll give her space.”

“Fine,” Wynonna grumbled. She took a step back from Waverly's embrace and smiled down at her. “You sure you're gonna be okay, kid?”

Waverly nodded and Wynonna ruffled her hair. Waverly scowled, but Wynonna only laughed at the expression before she grabbed the half-full wine bottle off the table and disappeared back into the living room, leaving Waverly to have some time to herself. Her gaze landed on the phone that still rested on the table.

It was only temporary. A break, Nicole had said, not a break up.

But Joanna's words from earlier that day still echoed in her head, taunting her.

_When Nicky eventually runs off on you, your first drink is on me._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't murder me.
> 
> Chapter title is "A Cold Day in July" by The Dixie Chicks


	3. The Story of Us

Crickets chirped in the darkness as Wynonna, Dolls, and Doc crept through the forest several yards behind an unsuspecting Isaiah. Doc led the way through the dark underbrush. Dolls and Wynonna walked side by side behind him. Every now and then, Wynonna's hand would find its ways to Dolls's to reassure him that she was still at his side, and he would give her a grateful smile. She remembered his fear in the woods the day they had stumbled upon Lou's cult. He had been good at hiding it then, just as he was now, but she hoped walking by his side would alleviate the fear she knew was lurking at the back of his mind.

Doc halted and held up his hand, signaling for them to do the same. Further along, Isaiah had come to a stop as well, his head tilted to one side as if he were listening for something. Wynonna tensed as she waited for him to move again, but Isaiah remained still and she wondered what the hell he was waiting for. Then, as if the universe had heard her thoughts, glowing red eyes appeared in the dark trees in front of Isaiah. Wynonna's hand dipped down to Peacemaker at her hip, but Dolls's hand found hers before she could draw the gun on reflex. He slowly shook his head and gestured towards Isaiah and the Revenant that had come to greet him.

Patience was not Wynonna's strongest trait—in fact, it was one of her weakest—but she fought the urge to stomp through the trees and confront the Revenant with Peacemaker. Instead, she watched as Isaiah and the demon talked. They were too far away to hear the conversation, but Wynonna could see the way Isaiah squeezed his hands into fists, and she knew he was fighting to keep himself in check.

Apparently satisfied with how the conversation had gone, the Revenant ushered Isaiah deeper into the wooded area. Once Isaiah had walked past him, the Revenant's glowing red eyes swept through the trees, searching for unwanted visitors. Wynonna's heart raced as the gaze passed over them. The sound of her heartbeat thundered loudly in her ears with each passing second. Thankfully, the demon's gaze didn't linger on their hiding spot amongst the underbrush, but Wynonna wasn't able to calm herself until the Revenant turned around and followed Isaiah. Once the Revenant was out of sight, Doc stepped forward and Wynonna and Dolls weren't far behind him, even more careful to remain silent now that they were closer to the Revenant camp.

The last thing they needed was a branch to crack beneath their feet and have the scouting mission blow up in their faces.

They had been staking out Isaiah's ranch from afar for a week. A week of watching as Isaiah went about his daily routine. A week of knowing that he was only going through the motions, though there were moments when he would stop beside one of the horses grazing on his land and, by the flick of the horse's ears, they could tell he was mumbling something to it. Then he would pat the beast on the neck and move on, his motions robotic once more.

The week had dragged until, finally, one of the Revenants came calling. Or rather, he came pounding on the door Isaiah had recently fixed, and nearly rattled it off its hinges again. Words were exchanged before the demon left. Later, Isaiah had crept out his front door under the cover of night, and Wynonna, Doc, and Dolls had followed.

Now it seemed the week of being crammed in the SUV together with one pair of binoculars amongst them had paid off.

As they followed Isaiah and the Revenant to the camp, the sounds of the forest quieted around them. The crickets stopped chirping, owls were silent, and Wynonna felt as if she was creeping through an unnatural stillness.

She heard the music first—the quick beat of a drum and the strumming of a guitar—before a rough, gravelly voice drifted through the trees a moment later, though Wynonna didn't recognize the song. Then the light from the bonfire trickled through the branches, and a lump formed in Wynonna's throat as they crept closer to the outskirts of the camp.

One wrong move into the light was all it would take to blow the mission.

The camp was comprised of four tents surrounding the bonfire. Logs had been placed around the fire and a man sat on one, a makeshift drum between his legs that he beat against with his hands. Another, taller man stood beside him, an acoustic guitar slung over his shoulders and his light brown hair tied back in a ponytail. Wynonna recognized him as the man in the photograph Waverly had shown her when this all started. Jimmy Jackson: Infamous horse thief and, according to Waverly's research, Isaiah's great grandfather.

The music came to a stop with the clang of the guitar and silence filled the trees once more. Wynonna took a slow step back, her hand sliding down to her hip. Dolls's hand on her back steadied her and he nodded towards the bonfire, where the man who had been singing now stood. Isaiah was shoved forward by the Revenant who had come to collect him and forced to his knees by another.

“Nice to see you again, Izzy,” the man said with a laugh that sent chills down Wynonna's spine. He squatted in front of Isaiah and rested his elbows on his knees, an amused smile on his face. “Glad you were kind enough to join the party tonight.”

“Hard to turn down the invite, given the circumstances,” Isaiah said. “Where's Jesse?”

The slender man laughed again and roughly shoved Isaiah's shoulder. “Check out little Izzy over here, getting straight to business.” The Revenants around the fire chuckled and Wynonna balled her hands into fists, trying to refrain from doing something rash. “Sorry, but Jesse couldn't make it to the festivities. A little tied up for the night, last I checked.”

The headbutt was unexpected and Jimmy stumbled back a step after Isaiah's head connected with his face. A burst of pride filled Wynonna's chest. The moment was cut short when Jimmy's eyes burned red and he wrapped his hand around Isaiah's neck.

“Bitch,” he spat at Isaiah, who clawed at the hand around his neck. “I guess Jesse doesn't mean as much to you as I thought.” He released Isaiah's neck and shoved him to the ground. “Try anything like that again, and you won't be able to find the pieces I leave your little friend in.”

Isaiah coughed in the dirt and slowly pulled himself back up to his knees. Wynonna struggled to hear him when, in a raspy voice, he asked, “What do you want?”

Jimmy grinned, and the firelight danced on his gleaming teeth. “Much better,” he said, and patted Isaiah on the cheek before he stood up. “Izzy, my dear, you're going to help me with, well, a collection of sorts. Actually, I think you might like this particular collection. After all, I know how fond you are of horses.”

Wynonna furrowed her brow. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Earp,” Dolls whispered. “Not now.”

When Isaiah remained silent, red eyes flashed again, but Jimmy kept his hands to himself this time. “The night before I died in a shootout with good ol' Wyatt, a very interesting woman came to visit me. One Constance Clootie,” he said, and Doc stiffened at the name. “She told me my boys and I could have immortality _and_ more power than we imagined if we let Wyatt kill us in the morning.”

Jimmy spit on the ground at Isaiah's knees.

“Naturally, we tried to shoot that idea right out of her silly little head. But you see, she proved her power and her worth. Those bullets bounced right off of her and took out one of my own boys in the process.” He stared down at Isaiah, who looked smaller than the man Wynonna had met a week ago. “You're gonna prove your worth to me, too, Izzy. See, she gave me something before I died, but good ol' Wyatt found it and gave it to my family. A memento of sorts to remember me by, or some sentimental crap like that.”

He shook his head at the memory

“You're gonna get me the piece my boys and I need to get out of this godforsaken triangle. The piece my worthless son kept hidden from me in some goddamn family vault no one bothered to tell me about!” Jimmy's hands balled into fists and for a moment, Wynonna thought he was going to strike Isaiah for the sins his grandfather had committed. But he took a deep breath instead and ran one hand through his hair. “Well, I'm family, aren't I? I deserve inside that vault just as much as you,” Jimmy said. Then he cocked his head and studied Isaiah for a moment before he said, “Granted, I was never _actually_ disowned by our family, so maybe I deserve inside it even more than you do.”

Isaiah ignored the barb. He only asked, “If I tell you where it is, you'll let Jesse go?”

“Do as I say, and you'll get your Jesse back, safe and sound.”

“It's gone.” When Jimmy's eyes burned red again, he was quick to add, “The stuff inside was moved to some bank in the city. Safer that way,” he said. “I think it was called the Chimera bank, but I don't know how you expect to get to the vault.” His voice hardened as he said, “My parents disowned me, remember? I'm off their accounts. I can't just waltz in there and get this _piece_ for you.”

“Don't you worry about that,” Jimmy said before he nodded towards one of his companions. The Revenant came forward and in a flash, Isaiah's arms were jerked behind his back and wrapped in thick rope.

“Hey! You said—”

“I _said_ Jesse would be safe as long as you did as you were told, and the deal still stands,” Jimmy said. He took Isaiah's chin in his hand and said, “But I'm not done with you yet. Not by a long shot.” Isaiah yanked his chin away and Jimmy laughed before telling his friends to take Isaiah. “We'll be kind, Izzy. We'll let you see your precious Jesse before the real trouble begins.”

As two of the Revenants started to drag Isaiah away, Wynonna reached for Peacemaker, only to find it missing from its holster. Beside her, Dolls held it captive and shook his head. She glared at him, but sighed and held her hand out. He placed it back in her hand before he leaned over to look at Doc.

“You're the best tracker we've got. Find out where they're taking him,” he whispered. “Wynonna and I will try to get to the bank before the Revenants and find whatever it is they're looking for.” Doc nodded and stood up, crouching low amongst the tree branches. Dolls reached over and placed a hand on his arm. “Don't do anything reckless, Henry. We won't be there to help you if things go south.”

“I've told you before, Deputy Marshall, I'm not the one here with an affinity for getting shot.”

And then he was gone, melting into the darkness of the forest and leaving Wynonna and Dolls to creep back through the forest to the SUV on their own.

Wynonna was grateful when they were far enough from the camp that the crickets started chirping again.

* * *

 

Doc could not have asked for a more perfect night to be skulking about the forest. The sliver of the moon was shrouded by clouds, plunging the trees into darkness and allowing him to stalk his quarry without fear of being spotted. Not to mention, the foul demon he had in his sights was dumb enough to make an awful racket. Even in the darkest patches of the forest, Doc could still hear the off-key crooning of the Revenant. It made adjusting his course through the thick vegetation much easier. Truly, he could not have asked for more.

The trek itself, however, was far from pleasant.

The muscles in his legs burned as the ground rose at a steep incline. Each step was harder than the last and despite the cool air of the spring night, perspiration had begun to dot his forehead. Hills rose up on either side of him, but it wasn't long before he had cleared the tops of even those.

His quarry and their captive finally came to a halt at the top of what Doc now realized was a small mountain. He stayed back, hidden in the dew-covered brush. The outline of a shack grabbed his attention first, but his gaze quickly shifted to the tall post off to the side and the figure on the ground slumped against it.

Jesse, he assumed.

Their arms were stretched far above their head and chains had been fastened around their wrists to keep them in place. No slack had been given, and Doc wondered just how long Jesse had been held in such a manner. Another set of manacles dangled from the other side of the post and it wasn't long before Isaiah was manhandled into them, though he didn't appear to be putting up much of a fight while Jesse was in his sight. The door to the shack creaked open and another Revenant joined Isaiah, Jesse, and their captor at the post.

Doc pursed his lips together. He had been under the impression only Jimmy's band of horse thieves were helping, but that didn't add up with how many Revenants he'd seen already. Just how many of those trailer park boys had Jimmy and his gang let in on the scheme they were cooking up?

The two demons exchanged words that Doc couldn't hear from so far away. Neither of them seemed happy to be stuck babysitting. One rubbed his jaw and directed a glare at Jesse, and Doc wondered if they had managed to get in a lick of their own during their captivity.

After the short conversation, the demon who had kept watch at the shack went back inside, only to return with a rickety rocking chair that he settled by the wall next to the door. The other demon—the one who had led Isaiah up the mountain like he was little more than cattle waiting to be butchered—squatted down by Isaiah and whatever he said made the large man thrash against his restraints. The Revenant skirted away from the flailing legs and his laugh rang through the night air.

The words Dolls had spoken to him before he went off on his own echoed in the back of Doc's mind as he crept along the edge of the thick line of trees.

He had been told not to do anything reckless, but could it really be considered reckless if one had a plan of attack, more or less? Besides, there were only two Revenants. Doc had gone up against worse in his time.

While the Revenants kept themselves occupied—either watching Isaiah and Jesse, or playing a god-awful tune on a harmonica one had dug out of their pocket—Doc crept along under the shroud of darkness, his destination the back of the rickety shack. Once he had to leave the safety of the trees, the journey was even more slow-going, and he found himself crawling on his belly through the wild, unkempt grass. His nose twitched as the scratchy weeds tickled his skin.

Doc did not care for creeping through the grass like some kind of snake. He would feel a touch more secure if he could use the gun at his hip and get the battle over with, but the risk was too high. On such a quiet night, the Revenants back at the camp would surely hear the sharp crack of a gunshot and any chance at a quiet escape would die alongside it. So it seemed he would have to opt for the stealthier method, despite his misgivings.

Cautiously, he risked a look over the top of the weeds and felt a sense of accomplishment wash over him when he saw how close the shack was. He ducked back down and continued the crawl. The hum of the harmonica grew louder as Doc approached the shack. He cringed at a high-pitched note that pierced his ears, but persevered, even as the taunts from a Revenant joined the off-key music.

“You're a real pretty one, ain't ya, sweetheart?”

The harmonica stopped and another gruff voice split the night air. “Boss said don't touch 'em, so don't touch 'em.”

“I'm not gonna hurt anyone,” said the other, his voice a touch higher than the other. “This one here just has a real pretty face, y'know? Shame she went and hid it under all of that hair.”

“Get away from him!”

Chains rattled against the post and Doc heard the Revenant curse.

“Feisty little one,” the Revenant said. “How'd you put up with 'em all week without giving a lesson in manners?”

“Ignored 'em, which is what you should be doin' too.”

“Hell really took the fun out of you, didn't it?”

The Revenant on the porch grunted and returned his attention to the harmonica just as Doc reached the back of the shack.

He pressed himself against the wall and slowly slid around the corner. His hand went to the handle of the knife protruding from the back of his jeans and the whisper of steel sliding against leather was loud to his own ears, but the harmonica and the Revenant taunting Isaiah and Jesse were more than loud enough to drown it out.

While the cloud cover over the moon had been a blessing as he crawled along the ground, it was a curse now as he prepared to carry out the last legs of his plan. It would be harder to hit his target in the darkness, but there was a reason he had been a renowned knife thrower back in his day. He would hit his mark, moonlight or not. The rough handle of the knife was a source of comfort as he crept up alongside the Revenant on the porch, which was another source of consternation.

The harmonica, which had helped cover any sounds Doc may have made in the grass, was now a curse as well. The moment he sliced through the Revenant's throat, the music would stop and the other on watch would know something was wrong. But he couldn't take down the Revenant by the post without leaving himself weaponless.

And it was a toss up, really, which one he would like to take down first.

The Revenant by the post was a foul creature, the way he spoke with Jesse and Isaiah, but the god-awful racket from the harmonica had been grating on Doc's nerves since the tree line and he swore if he heard one more off-key note, he would gather all of the harmonicas in town and throw them down the very well he had been trapped in for eighty years.

In the end, it was the harmonica player who met the fine edge of his knife first, and one last startled note pierced Doc's ears as he slid the blade across the Revenant's neck. The demon near the post growled and turned towards the sound, but Doc was faster, sending the knife hurtling towards him. A loud “thwump” was heard as the blade was buried in the demon's throat.

The body fell, and Doc wasted no time grabbing the keys off the demon on the porch. They jangled in his hand as he ran to the post, hopping over the Revenant still choking around the blade lodged in his windpipe.

“Sorry it took so long to get here,” Doc said conversationally as he slid the key into the manacles around Jesse's wrists. “We didn't quite know where the get together was until Isaiah did.”

“You're not supposed to be here,” Isaiah said from the other side of the post. “I told Wynonna—”

“You'll find that Wynonna rarely does as she's told,” Doc said, “and I'm my own man. If I want to help free someone from the clutches of demons, that's exactly what I'm gonna do. Saves us the trouble of doubling back to save your hides later.”

The manacles clicked open and relief flooded Jesse's features. They rubbed at their wrists, red and raw from the iron that had bound them for so long.

“Thank you,” they said as they struggled to their feet, using the post for support.

“Think nothing of it,” Doc said before he turned his attention to the manacles around Isaiah's wrists. He pretended not to see the glare the large man leveled at him.

When the manacles clicked open, however, Isaiah was quick to get back to his feet and walk around the post so he could look Jesse over. He placed his arms on their shoulders and, after a quick once-over, he pulled Jesse into a tight hug. His hands roamed along the plains of Jesse's back and wandered around to their sides. It was a searching touch, seeking out any injuries, but it was also a touch of reaffirmation; a touch that would remind him that Jesse was safe and in his arms once more.

Doc would have let it go on longer, but the Revenants wouldn't stay dead forever—not without Peacemaker—so he cleared his throat and, once he had their attention, nodded towards the trees.

“It's not safe to linger here much longer,” he said. He looked down at the demon in the grass. The ragged gasps for breath had lessened and red eyes had slipped closed. Doc scowled at the sight before he lifted his gaze and settled it back on Isaiah and Jesse.

“I know of a place we can go. It's a bit of a trek, but they won't be able to bother you there. You'll be safe.”

* * *

 

Waverly fiddled with her keys outside of Shorty's and they jangled against the door as she locked up for the night. Well, she supposed it was technically early morning now. The last of the patrons had stumbled out the door half an hour ago, leaning on one another as they made their way back to their homes. After a long shift dealing with the town drunks, she should have been ready to head back home, too, but the empty bed that awaited her didn't hold much appeal.

She sighed and shook her head as she pulled the keys out of the door and headed for her Jeep.

It had already been a week without Nicole beside her, so she couldn't understand why it was still bothering her. She should have gotten used to it by now—she always had before—but waking up alone was harder than it had ever been. It seemed she actually _had_ become accustomed to sharing her mornings and her home with Nicole without even realizing it. Now that they were apart, loneliness had found its way back to her, and her sister's absence hadn't helped.

Neither did Joanna's constant presence in the bar.

Her grip tightened on her keys and she climbed into the driver's seat of the Jeep. After the engine rumbled to life, she turned on the radio to drown out the thoughts that had been plaguing her, then started the drive back to the homestead.

It was nearly five in the morning when she pulled into the long driveway that led up to the house. She released a jaw-cracking yawn as she drove through the opening in the fence line and pulled up beside the squad car parked near the house. She had just cut the ignition when her brow furrowed and she looked beside her again.

What the hell was a squad car doing at her house at five in the morning?

Thoughts of Wynonna, Doc, and Dolls and their dangerous mission filled her mind. Fear and panic flooded through her, leaving her heart hammering in her chest. Keys forgotten in the ignition, she hurried to the front door and shoved it open. It swung wildly and bounced off the wall, startling the three people she found in her living room.

On her couch lay Isaiah Lincoln.

Memories of a day long ago came to the front of Waverly's mind. Curtis and Gus had taken her for her first horseback riding lesson when she was nine. She had been afraid of the horses. They towered over her small frame and the whinnies that pierced the air had sent shivers down her spine. But then Isaiah had coaxed her towards one of the smaller horses, whose fur was painted with brown and white splotches. He had shoved a few apple slices into her hand and gruffly instructed her on how to feed the small horse, and she had giggled when the horse's teeth and tongue grazed her palm.

The lessons hadn't lasted long—Curtis and Gus were busy with work and Waverly was busy with school—but the pleasant memories still remained.

Now he was on her couch ten years later. A long gash marred the side of his head and blood matted his dark bangs. Beside him sat someone she had never formally met during her lessons, but she had seen them around town several times. They were smaller than Isaiah, and far more slender, but Waverly could still see the outline of muscle through the ragged, dirty shirt they wore. They knelt beside the couch, Isaiah's hand in theirs. Doc stood off to one side of the living room, watching over them.

“Where's Wynonna?” Waverly asked him.

“Now Waverly, don't be cross, but Wynonna and Dolls had some other business to attend to in the city,” Doc said. “They'll be alright.”

Before Waverly could respond, a familiar redheaded figure in blue and khaki came out of the kitchen, a bowl in one hand and rags in the other. Nicole stopped in her tracks and water sloshed over the rim of the bowl, onto the floor.

“Waverly,” she said in a voice just above a whisper, and Waverly's heart sped up at the sound.

It had been a week since she had heard the soft lilt of Nicole's voice, the slightest twang of an accent behind each word. Despite telling herself she would be fine without her, Waverly had still hoped when Nicole said she needed a break that they would at least get to see one another around town—that they would still be friends—but Nicole had kept herself hidden. She was never at her desk when Waverly visited the station, she hadn't swung by Shorty's, and whenever Waverly tried to find her at her apartment, the door was always locked.

Now she was in her house at five in the morning, and Waverly was too tired to pretend like she wasn't annoyed.

“Officer Haught. I'm surprised you remembered how to get here.”

Doc cleared his throat before Nicole could respond, though a hint of a blush had spread across her cheeks. She crossed to the couch and offered the bowl of water to the person sitting beside Isaiah. They took it and flashed her a grateful smile, and Nicole offered a weak one of her own before retreating to the kitchen. Waverly resisted the urge to follow her and instead turned her attention to Doc and the two people crashing on her couch.

“I believe you already know who Isaiah is,” Doc said, and Isaiah grunted a greeting. “This here is his partner, Jesse.”

The person in question looked up from the gash on Isaiah's forehead and the smile on their face was as warm as the one they had flashed Nicole moments earlier, though now Waverly could see the strain in their expression, their features tight with worry and exhaustion. She gave them a small wave and said a soft hello.

“This was the safest place I could think to bring them after we got away from the Revenant camp,” Doc explained. “We ran into some trouble on our way out of the forest, though. Ground wasn't as stable as I thought it was and we all took a bit of a tumble. Some of us came out a little more worse for wear than others.”

“I'm fine,” Isaiah grumbled.

“I'm sure you are, Isaiah,” Jesse said as they dipped the rag into the water,“but you're also getting blood all over Waverly's couch. Now hold still so I can clean you up.”

Isaiah sighed, but settled against the armrest again, and tilted his head so Jesse could reach the wound easier. It was a sweet sight, and the way the two of them looked at one another with such tenderness made her chest ache for the woman who had slipped into the kitchen.

“Waverly,” Doc said as he approached her. “I don't know what's going on between you and Officer Haught—”

“Nothing.”

Doc raised an eyebrow in disbelief and said, “If that's the story you want to stick with, then I won't argue with you. But I do want you to know she was an immense help tonight. If she hadn't run into us on her patrol, we'd still be crawling along the highway, and who knows how much blood Isaiah here would have lost by now.”

“You don't have to talk her up, Doc. I'm not angry with her,” Waverly said, but the way Doc tilted his head made her think she hadn't convinced him. “I'm not! I just... I'm frustrated.”

“Maybe something you should be telling her then,” he suggested, his gaze shifting to the kitchen.

Waverly narrowed her eyes. “You're not exactly the best person to be giving relationship advice, or do I have to remind you about the time you took off in the Stone Witch's car because Wynonna hurt your feelings once?”

Doc chuckled and placed his hat back on his head. “You do know how to deliver the low blows, Waverly,” he said. “I still stand by my advice, though. From the looks of it, you two would do well to have a conversation.”

Her shoulders slumped and she looked away. “I've tried. She keeps avoiding me.”

“Well, you've got her here now. I can't think of a better time to speak with her.”

Waverly debated it for only a moment before she nodded her head. Doc was right. Nicole hadn't run away, or at least she hadn't left the homestead yet. She was here now, and that was what mattered. She'd be a fool to pass up the opportunity to talk to her, and if there was one thing Waverly absolutely was not, it was a fool.

She straightened her posture, determination burning within her, and took quick strides through the doorway to the kitchen, only to falter when she found Nicole leaning against the counter, her phone in hand and a frown on her face as she stared down at the screen. She looked tired, as if the counter was the only thing holding her up. Waverly slowed her steps and cautiously approached Nicole, who hadn't looked up from her phone.

“Hey,” she said, and warm brown eyes finally met hers. Dark circles painted the normally pale skin. Waverly smiled wanly and said, “You look as exhausted as I feel.”

“My cat's been keeping me up.”

Waverly knew it was a lie, but she played along. “Maybe it's revenge for naming her 'Cat.' I told you you should change it.”

“She never seemed to mind it before.” Nicole held her gaze a moment longer before she averted her eyes to the kitchen floor. “I'm sorry. I shouldn't be here.”

“You know, no one made you leave. You're welcome to come back whenever you want.” Waverly stepped forward and placed her hand on Nicole's. “I'm not going to kick you out.”

“I know you won't but...” Nicole sighed and pulled her hand away from Waverly's. “It's not that simple, Wave.”

“Then explain it to me, because right now, I'm lost and I hate feeling like this,” she said, frustration coloring her voice.

“What do you want me to say?”

“Seriously? Nicole, the only thing I've wanted you to tell me is what's wrong, but instead you dance around the issue and then avoid me for a week.” When no answer was forthcoming, Waverly sighed. “Do you... Do you not trust me anymore?”

It pained her to ask the question, but it had been at the back of her mind all week.

With each passing day that Nicole had avoided her, her thoughts would turn back to when she had been possessed. She had done things then that she wasn't proud of; things she still had nightmares about. She had hurt the people she cared for, both physically and emotionally. The scars on either side of Wynonna's right shoulder were a reminder of how far she had gone to harm those she loved.

And Nicole...

Waverly had nearly ruined everything. Had nearly gone too far. Whatever had possessed her had been able to feel Waverly holding on to the memories of Nicole, the last shreds of her humanity, and it had aimed to sever that bond. It had tried to show her that everyone she loved was afraid of her because of what she could do to them, and those that didn't fear her would be dealt with.

Nicole hadn't been afraid.

No, her brave and sweet Nicole had reached out to her, even as Waverly had had her pinned against a wall, her teeth bared and her eyes dark. Somehow, Nicole had found the words that brought Waverly back long enough that Doc and a wounded Wynonna could get the chains around her. Even now, she couldn't remember what those words had been, but she remembered how they had been said: with a warmth and tenderness that had made her feel safe.

But maybe something had been broken between them that day. Maybe she actually _had_ ruined everything.

“Waves,” Nicole said, and she placed the palm of her hand against Waverly's cheek. “There isn't anyone I trust more.”

She jerked away from the touch and glared. “You sure have a funny way of showing it,” she said in a tight voice. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Thank you for helping Doc and the others, but I've been up all night dealing with drunk assholes and don't feel like dealing with a sober one in my own home.” Nicole winced at that, but didn't object. Waverly's voice was barely above a whisper as she said, “I think you're right. You should probably leave.”

Nicole opened her mouth, but promptly clamped it shut a second later. She sighed and brushed by Waverly, who shivered at the contact. It was the touch she had craved all week, but Waverly had no intention of taking back her words. Nicole paused at the doorway and let her hand linger on the wall. She looked over her shoulder and held Waverly's gaze. In another time, Waverly would have seen affection and a hint of mischief twinkling back at her, but now all she saw was defeat.

“I wish I knew the right thing to do, Waverly,” Nicole said, and Waverly could see there was more that she wanted to say, but something held her back.

Instead, she studied Waverly a moment longer, as if she were trying to memorize every bit of her, then disappeared through the doorway.

_When Nicky eventually runs off on you, your first drink is on me._

Waverly shook Joanna's words from her head, and waited until she heard the front door open and close. Then she waited a few minutes more to regain her composure, or at least some semblance of it. Once she felt more in control of her emotions, she returned to her bedraggled guests in the living room.

Jesse had joined Isaiah on the couch and curled up against his side. The two of them were caught up in a quiet conversation and Jesse kept their hands intertwined. Meanwhile, Doc hung by the front door, a cigarette dangling from his lips. He had cracked the door open after Nicole left, letting the wisps of smoke escape into the brisk morning air.

“It would seem the discussion with Officer Haught did not go as well as one would have hoped,” Doc said when Waverly approached. He flicked some of the ash off the end of his cigarette onto the front porch, then turned to face Waverly, who only shrugged.

“She won't tell me what's going on, and I'm not going to force it out of her,” she said. Then, in a grumble, she added, “I wish I didn't _have_ to force it out of her.”

Doc hummed and returned his gaze to the lightening sky. ''That woman adores you, Waverly Earp, and I am positive it is killing her to leave you in the dark the way she is,” he said, “but sometimes... sometimes it can be damn near torture to give voice to the demons haunting us, and your officer there is definitely running from something fierce.”

Waverly furrowed her brow. “But we can help her. She helps us with actual, literal demons from hell all the time. She shouldn't be afraid to ask us for help with hers.”

“Pride is a funny thing,” Doc said with a sigh. The cigarette between his lips had burned down to nothing more than a nub. He flicked it away, far from the porch, then caught Waverly in his sights. He placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “She'll come around, Waverly, just you wait and see.”

Rubbing her tired eyes, she said, “Thanks, Doc. That actually kind of helped.”

“Well you don't have to sound so surprised about it,” he said. “You'll do well to be off to bed. I'll wake you if Wynonna calls before you're up.”

Waverly nodded then wrapped her arms around Doc in a tight hug. He patted her on the back and after she released her grip, he gave her an affectionate smile. As tired as she was, she somehow managed to return it before she started for the staircase that led to her bedroom upstairs. On her way there, she hovered by the couch Isaiah and Jesse occupied. Isaiah had drifted off, but Jesse still lay on their side with their eyes half-open as they lazily drew circles over Isaiah's uninjured arm.

Waverly cleared her throat and dark brown eyes met hers. “You two are welcome to stay here until this is all over,” she said. A pensive expression fell over her face. “Actually, it's probably better that you do. With Jimmy and his friends hanging around, this is the safest place you could ask for in the whole county.”

Jesse grinned up at her, the smile revealing the torn skin of a bloody lip that Waverly hadn't noticed before. “That's very kind of you. I'll talk with Isaiah about it in the morning.” They sighed and looked down at the slumbering form beside them. “He'll be worried about the horses, naturally, but...” Jesse shook their head and rested their cheek on Isaiah's chest. “Maybe things will look better in the sunlight.”

“They usually do,” Waverly said. “Remind me to find you two a better place to sleep later. I'm sure Wynonna's worn the cushions down to practically nothing.”

“The couch is perfect,” Jesse said, nuzzling closer to Isaiah.

Waverly had a feeling they were talking less about the couch and more about their partner. She shook her head, but a smile found its way to her face. She wished Jesse pleasant dreams then climbed the stairs to the small hallway that led to her bedroom.

Once she closed the door behind her, she tried to ignore the loneliness creeping into her bones as she changed out of her Shorty's shirt into one of her larger, looser t-shirts. As it had for the last week, the hamper of dirty clothes in the corner of the room caught her attention and, while she had ignored it before, she walked over to it now and, after a moment of digging, she pulled out one of the sweaters Nicole had left behind.

It was soft and, most importantly, it still smelled like Nicole.

Waverly didn't feel the least bit self-conscious as she took the shirt to bed with her and curled up with it under the blankets, reveling in the faint smell of strawberries that always clung to Nicole's skin.

She held the shirt close and breathed in the last vestige's of Nicole's scent as she reminded herself of Doc's words.

Nicole would come around.

And Waverly would be ready when she did.

* * *

 

The black SUV rolled along the highway in the early hours of the morning, no traffic to hinder its movement. Grey skies were lightening as the sun rose over the horizon, but it failed to make the morning any less bleak. The weak rays of the sun were filtered through slate clouds and a thick mist still clung to the ground, casting the world in a dull grey. Dolls kept his focus on the road as he drove down the deserted highway, but occasionally his eyes would wander to the woman in the passenger seat.

Wynonna could hardly keep still. She rummaged through the glove compartment and the center console, tapped her fingers on her legs, absently chewed the ends of her hair. He had to fight the urge to turn the child lock on for the windows when she kept fiddling with the switch.

The situation with Isaiah, Jesse, and the Revenants had affected her the moment they found Isaiah destroying his own bedroom out of frustration. She had taken responsibility for their predicament and put it squarely on her shoulders, as if she was somehow just as bad as the demons who had taken Jesse. During the stakeout, she had paced outside the SUV, her eyes rarely leaving the ranch far below them. The scene in the woods had only made things worse.

“God, can this thing go any slower?”

“We're going eighty-five, Earp,” Dolls replied in a slow, level voice. “It only seems slow because there aren't any other cars on the road for me to pass.”

When she didn't reply, he chanced a glance in her direction and watched the way her knee bounced, another small outlet for her pent-up energy. He dropped one hand from the wheel and let it rest on her knee. When the bouncing finally slowed to a stop, she sighed.

“What if we're too late, Dolls?”

“Hey, we won't be,” he assured her. “We've got a solid head-start on them and if we were going to run into any trouble from them, we would have found it by now. Whatever they're planning, we're going to stop it before they even have a shot at carrying it out.”

“And what about Isaiah and Jesse? When Jimmy finds out we screwed him over, he's not going to be happy. They'll be the ones he takes it out on, Dolls.”

When Dolls first arrived in Purgatory, maybe he would have been able to think of Isaiah and Jesse as collateral damage in a fight for the greater good. And maybe Wynonna still expected that of him—he had shot her sister, after all, in order to protect her—but in reality it was becoming harder and harder for him to distance himself from the people of Purgatory.

While they weren't exactly the most welcoming bunch at first, he had come to care about the townsfolk. They were no longer just names attached to files, but rather names attached to people, who were attached to histories. Histories that connected the families of Purgatory to one another, creating a larger, more dysfunctional type of family. One he had somehow found himself apart of after Wynonna, Doc, Waverly, and Nicole had brought him back from the containment facility at Black Badge.

So he couldn't just write off Isaiah and Jesse the way he had done with Shorty. Isaiah and Jesse were no longer just names to him. How to explain that to Wynonna, however, was still a mystery to him, though, so he settled for putting her mind at ease.

“You really think Doc is going to sit on his hands when he finds out where those two have been taken?”

“I... Wait, what?”

“You and Doc are very similar, you know,” Dolls said with a hint of a smile. “I think Isaiah and Jesse will be in very safe hands, if they aren't already.”

Wynonna scoffed. “You little shit,” she said, but a wide grin was on her face. “You sent Doc after those two _knowing_ he would get them out of there. So that whole 'don't do anything reckless' bit was just an act?”

“Mostly, yeah, but don't tell him that. He gets a kick out of disobeying me for some reason. Who am I to deny an old cowboy his fun?”

Wynonna snorted. “You guys are so weird, but if that's what works for you...”

Dolls shrugged and, seeing that Wynonna's worries over Isaiah and Jesse had been put to rest, he let the conversation drift into a comfortable silence for the rest of the ride into the city.

As the buildings beside them started to stretch towards the sky, the morning commuters started to trickle into the lanes alongside the SUV. Dolls kept a sharp eye on the buildings as they drove by, searching for the bank Isaiah had mentioned. Wynonna pulled out her phone and, after a few keystrokes, the robotic voice of her GPS chirped out directions until they turned into a parking lot. There were several cars already parked in the lot, most likely belonging to the employees stuck opening for the day.

The sign outside of Chimera bank bore a picture of a three-headed beast—one lion, one dragon, one goat—guarding a chest. Wynonna grimaced at the image.

“I swear, the people who live in this damn triangle have the strangest taste in like, everything,” she said as she hopped out of the SUV.

Dolls reached over to the glove compartment and rummaged through it until he found a packet of papers. He pulled one out, along with a pen. He took a moment to fill it out against the steering wheel, folded it, and stuck it in his jacket pocket. Once he was set, he joined Wynonna at the front of the truck.

“Ready to put a serious kink in Jimmy's plans?”

“You know me so well.”

The two of them approached the front doors of the bank and, seeing a few of the employees milling about the lobby, Dolls knocked and grabbed one man's attention. The worker pointed to the banking hours stuck to the window and shook his head. Dolls pulled his badge out of his back pocket. He stuck it against the glass and arched his eyebrows. The employee paled and stepped towards the door. He examined the badge for a moment before he finally unlocked the door.

“I don't know what Black Badge is or what it wants with this bank—”

“Just here to pick up a simple safety deposit box,” Dolls said. “There's some evidence in there we've been trying to get our hands on for some time now,” he said, and his eyes dropped down to the bronze name tag on the man's vest. “Nothing too nefarious, Lance.”

Lance studied them with narrowed eyes, then said, “I hope you have a—”

“Warrant?” Wynonna supplied, grinning. “Why do you think we've been waiting so long to get our hands on the evidence? Paperwork just came through this morning,” she said as she shuffled around the man into the bank. “Trust me, stopping by the bank is the last thing I wanted to do this early in the morning, but a not-so-pleasant phone call from our boss changed both our plans. Hey, do you guys offer coffee here for your customers? I could really use a cup.”

“Miss, please, the warrant.”

Dolls tapped the man on the shoulder. He turned around and Dolls flashed a small smile. “The warrant,” he said, holding out the document he had pulled from his pocket. The document he had just filled out in the truck. A very fake document, but also a very convincing one that would give them enough time to retrieve the safety deposit box and get out of there.

Lance looked it over then tucked it in the pocket of his own jacket. “It would seem the two of you are more prepared than the usual authorities we get around here,” he said. “Let's get this matter settled, shall we? I'd rather you were gone before our actual clients show up.”

He allowed Dolls to step around him and locked the door once more. In the lobby, Wynonna had a Styrofoam cup in her hand and a small cookie in the other.

“I see you found some coffee.”

“And I can see why they give it out for free,” she said before taking a sip.

She offered the cup to him, but he only shook his head and approached the counter, where Lance now awaited them. He looked over the paper one last time and sighed before disappearing into a room off to the side. When he returned a few minutes later, a key dangled from his fingertips and a small box was tucked under his arm.

“One safety deposit box belonging to the Lincolns,” he said. He pushed the box across the counter and Dolls nodded in appreciation. “Should I be expecting those items back any time soon? Or will I be dealing with a pissed off client later?”

“Hey buddy, we'll get the stuff back to you as soon as we can, but you know how investigations and trials go.”

“No, I can assure you, I do not.”

“Alright, just me then.” Wynonna winked and turned to Dolls. “Time to head out, partner?”

“You got it.” He took the box and key from the teller. “If you don't mind unlocking the door for us again? Unless you want us hanging around until your real clients show up.”

Lance sighed, but grabbed the key ring from his belt and stepped back around the counter into the lobby to let them out. As soon as they were outside, the door shut behind them and the click of the lock tumbling back into place was heard.

“Real nice guy,” Wynonna said. She reached over and patted the safety box in Dolls's hand. “What do you say we get this bad boy out of here before Jimmy's guys get here?”

“I'd say it's a little late for that, Wynonna.” One of the men they had played poker with at the trailer park stepped around the corner of the bank. Four others joined him, and Dolls saw two motorcycles and a truck parked alongside the sidewalk further up the road. “Thanks for getting that for us, although I was really looking forward to some explosions.”

“Only explosion around here is gonna be your head before I send you back to hell.”

“Earp,” Dolls said, then nodded towards the security cameras along the street. The last thing they needed was someone going through the video and finding a recording of a man being sucked into a fiery pit.

“Damn it. This is why I hate the city,” she hissed. “New plan: Get to the SUV and see how fast you can make it go.”

“Good plan,” he said, before he sprinted towards the vehicle. Wynonna was quick on his heels.

The demons weren't as conscientious of the street cameras. Bullets pinged off the truck as Dolls slid into the driver's seat. He slid the deposit box under his seat and slipped the key into his pocket, but his attention shifted to the passenger seat when he heard Wynonna curse beside him.

“You alright?”

“Perfect,” she said through gritted teeth. “How about the second part of that plan, Dolls? The one where we see how fast we can get out of here?”

The tires squealed in response, and the SUV tore out of the parking lot while bullets bounced off its frame. They had just turned the first corner when Wynonna spoke up again.

“Hey, so, remember how you didn't want me to get sugar all over your seats?”

“Kinda busy, Earp,” Dolls said as he swerved around a rusted van going far too slow. He checked the rear-view mirror and, a few cars back, he saw the truck and motorcycles that had been parked outside the bank.

“Okay, yeah, I get that and you're doing great, but I was just wondering if you were going to be pissed at me for getting blood on your seats.” Dolls risked a glance to the side and found Wynonna with her hand pressed against her upper arm, her fingers stained red from the blood pooling around them. “My bad.”

“Don't worry about the seats.” He returned his attention to the road. “Keep pressure on it, Wynonna.”

“I mean, I'm sure it's just a scratch,” she said. A few seconds later, she hissed and said, “Shit! Okay. Not just a scratch. That's a bullet in there.”

“Waverly is going to kill me,” Dolls muttered to himself.

He yanked the wheel to the right and ignored the horn of the car he cut off to switch lanes. The city limits were in his sights and he pressed down on the gas, the pedal nearly touching the floor. The moment they reached the nearly-empty highway, it did touch the floor, and the needle of the speedometer clocked them at ninety the last time he glanced at the dashboard.

“How you holding up over there?”

“Just peachy,” she said. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her turn in her seat to look out the back window. “They're still back there. Good.” She shifted in her seat and, after some maneuvering, she stiffly drew Peacemaker from its holster. “When we're far enough out of the city, slow down.” A soft whir reached Dolls's ears as she spun the cylinder. “Teach those assholes to shoot me...”

Dolls waited until the city was only a speck on the horizon before he let off the gas. The rumble of the truck behind them grew louder as the SUV slowed down. Wynonna rolled down the passenger window and he heard her take a deep breath. Then she was leaning out the window and the crack of a gunshot echoed from Peacemaker. He glanced at the rear-view mirror, but all three vehicles were still on their tail. A Revenant on the back of one of the bikes brought his arm up and leveled his revolver at Wynonna, who quickly ducked back inside. The bullet bounced off the passenger-side mirror, but Wynonna was leaning out the window again in no time.

Her mouth was drawn in a grim line as the wind whipped her hair around her face. She leveled Peacemaker once more and aimed down its sights. Peacemaker cracked again, and the one who had fired at her fell off the back of the bike with the force of the bullet. A portal to hell appeared beneath him and sucked him into the road, down to the hot flames that awaited him.

“Nice shot, Earp,” Dolls said as Wynonna slid back inside.

She laughed. “Yeah, hurt like a bitch, though.” She flexed the fingers of her right hand. Blood had trickled down to her fingertips and stained Peacemaker's handle. Before he could ask if she was alright, she was out the window again, yelling as she fired shots off at the Revenants behind them. The bike on her side went down and skidded along the pavement, dragging its riders with it, but Dolls didn't have time to admire Wynonna's handiwork because the Revenant driving the truck had decided to take his chances ramming the back of the SUV. The vehicle jolted from the impact, and Wynonna cursed as her back hit the window frame.

When the truck tried to ram them again, Dolls swerved to the left and slowed down. When the truck sped forward, it brought the driver level with Wynonna.

“Joyride's over, asshole. Make your peace,” she said before she fired.

Flames licked at his skin as the portal appeared in the truck's floor, much like it had when Wynonna shot Bobo. Now driver-less, the truck slowed down and veered towards the side of the highway. Wynonna slipped back inside and rolled up her window before thumping against the back of the seat. Her grip around Peacemaker's bloody handle was loose and when she turned to look at Dolls, he could see the exhaustion in her eyes.

It had definitely been a long week.

“Last guy was smart. Went riding into the hills with his tail between his legs.”

“You scared him off with that terrible aim of yours,” Dolls teased, but his gaze flickered to the blood that had trickled down to Wynonna's hand. Without the danger of the Revenants chasing them, he slowed the SUV to a stop on the side of the road.

“Hey, we've got places to be, Dolls. We don't have time for sight seeing.”

Dolls ignored her. Instead, he unbuckled, opened the door, and the gravel crunched beneath his boots as he hopped down to the ground. He went around back and popped open the trunk, where, after some rummaging, he found a small, black box with a red cross painted on the front. Satisfied with the contents he found inside, he closed the trunk and approached the passenger-side door. Reluctantly, Wynonna opened it.

“I'm fine, you know. I can make it to the homestead.” But she still gingerly removed her jacket and let Dolls examine the wound.

“That may be, but we wouldn't make it back before you permanently ruined my seat,” he said in a low voice as he studied the gash in her arm and the bullet buried inside. When he looked up at her though, he made sure a soft smile was on his face so she would know he was teasing. She returned it with one of her own. “Looks like it was just a ricochet. And the leather jacket slowed it down after that, so I only have to do minimal digging.”

“Lucky me,” Wynonna said. “Dig away.”

“I'll try to do it quick.”

“Better idea: Do it right.”

Dolls nodded and set his tool kit on the roof of the SUV. He pulled out the thick tweezers and went to work on Wynonna's arm. After one too many similar operations on himself, he knew it had to hurt, but Wynonna didn't make a sound as he dug the bullet out of her flesh. He released a breath when he managed to pull it out. Then he let it plunk against the ground and returned the bloody tweezers to the case. He'd clean them back at the homestead.

Next came the miniature bottle of alcohol and a small cloth.

“My favorite part,” Wynonna said.

“A necessary evil,” Dolls countered as he splashed some of the alcohol onto the rag. The two of them shared a look and Wynonna nodded before he dabbed at the wound to disinfect it. When he was done, he placed the last piece of gauze in the kit against the wound and wrapped it in place. After he put the items back in the first aid kit, he focused on Wynonna. “I'm all out of the thread so we'll have to stitch it back up at the homestead, but it should feel a little better now, and less chances of an infection.”

“Awesome. Can't wait to get home so you can stick a needle in me,” she said. Dolls only shook his head and walked back around to his side of the SUV. When he climbed back inside, Wynonna groaned. “God, Waverly is gonna kill me.”

Dolls chuckled.

“You and me both, Earp. You and me both.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is "The Story of Us" by Taylor Swift


	4. Don't Rock the Jukebox

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! So this is the last of the chapters I have pre-written. Some real life stuff got in the way of me getting more done in advance. But, everything should still be good. I hope. If not, I appreciate your patience.

Wynonna scrubbed at the dark leather jacket with a coarse brush on a makeshift table that rested over the trough in the barn. Flecks of bubbles gathered around the ripped sleeve and slid down to the water below, but the dark bloodstain remained, taunting her. Frustrated, she scrubbed harder, only to wince when a sharp sting pricked at her injured bicep. Dolls had sewn the gash shut the moment they got back to the homestead. Now a pristine bandage was tightly wrapped around the wound. It didn't hurt as badly as it had the day before, but she hated how stiff the muscles were now. Worse, the bullet had torn the sleeve of her leather jacket and left behind a bloodstain that was proving impossible to get out despite her best efforts.

She scowled at the offending stain.

“I think it adds character.” Wynonna looked over her shoulder at the sound of the soft voice and found Jesse standing in the doorway, two steaming mugs in their hands. “But if it's bothering you, I'm sure Isaiah could help you get the stain out. He's kind of a genius when it comes to leather.”

“Thanks, but I think I got this covered,” she said. She glanced down at the smear of blood and sighed. “Like you said, it adds character.”

Jesse laughed and, after a moment of hesitation, they stepped further into the barn. “Thank you, Wynonna,” they said, “for getting the safety deposit box before those monsters could.” Their nose scrunched when they caught sight of the bandage on Wynonna's arm. “I'm sorry you got shot, though.”

“Yeah well, maybe it's karmic revenge for treating Isaiah like a criminal instead of a victim.”

“Don't let him hear you call him that. He's not a criminal, but he's no victim either,” Jesse warned. When they approached Wynonna's side, they offered one of the coffee cups. “Dolls fixed it up for you. Just the way you like it, I believe.”

“Thanks,” she said, enjoying the warmth of the cup against her fingers. She took a sip and leaned back against the trough. Her gaze landed on Jesse's split lip and the bruise forming at the corner of their mouth. “I'm sorry the two of you got caught up in my family's shit. I never wanted that.”

Jesse shook their head. “This isn't your fault,” they said. They looked down at their mug and chuckled. “You know, you and Isaiah are kind of similar, both blaming yourselves for your family's mistakes.” They took a sip of the coffee and when they met Wynonna's eyes again, a warm smile was on their face. “You two should form a club.”

“Already in one called Black Badge. Don't want to spread myself too thin,” Wynonna said, her eyes twinkling from behind her coffee mug. “How's it going inside? Did they figure out what it was Jimmy wanted from the box?”

Jesse shook their head. “Not yet. All of the stuff in there is pretty mundane. Don't know why they'd want to keep it in the first place.”

Wynonna frowned as a thought crossed her mind. “Well, I guess there's always Plan B.”

“Plan B?”

“Yeah.” She grabbed her jacket off the wooden rack and slipped it on. “Boys don't know about it yet and Doc won't be too pleased when I tell them, but if they can't figure out what those Revenants needed and why, I know a lady who might know a thing or two.”

“You know, you get this really intense look in your eyes when you're about to do something reckless.”

Wynonna winked and slipped out the barn door.

Inside the house, she passed Isaiah on the couch, who was studying a crumpled envelope in his hands. She slowed her strides and after a moment of debate, cleared her throat to get his attention. He looked up from the envelope, and Wynonna realized she didn't actually know what to say, so she decided to wing it.

“Anything interesting?”

“Don't know,” he said. “Haven't read it yet.”

He turned the envelope in his hands and fiddle with the corner, but something held him back from opening it. Wynonna glanced towards the kitchen, then took a seat on the couch beside Isaiah. She held out her hand and Isaiah placed the crumpled envelope in her open palm. She flipped it over to see who it was from and the name 'Hana Lincoln' had been written in the corner in small, loopy letters. The addressee in the middle of the envelope wasn't a name, but the words 'My Son' instead.

“Afraid of what's in there?”

Wynonna had an idea of how he felt. There was a reason she had moved around so often. A reason she had never let Waverly know where she was or where she had been. Back then, she didn't think she could handle opening a letter from her sister and finding a list of all the reasons Waverly resented her inside. She could barely handle the guilt from the birthday text messages.

Isaiah cleared his throat and took the letter back. He tucked it into the pocket of his jeans. “It's not important.”

The way he had been folding it over in his hands, Wynonna doubted that, but she didn't question him. She got up from the couch instead and stretched her arms over her head, hating the pull of the stitches in her right arm. She'd leave Isaiah to debate with himself over the letter in peace while she checked on the three nerds studying the stuff from the safe deposit box.

In the kitchen, she found Waverly, Dolls, and Doc huddled over the table, a pile of items split between them. Dolls and Waverly studied each object, hoping to find the secret one of them held, but it all looked like junk to Wynonna. Doc sifted through the piles, looking for the items that could have come from his time. Unfortunately, several of them could have come from his time period, so that wasn't much help.

“Still nothing?”

Waverly sighed. “Nope. All of these seem pretty... ordinary.” She held up a silver necklace in front of her face and studied the ruby that dangled from the chain, only to shake her head a moment later. She dropped the necklace in the growing pile in the middle of the table.

“How do you even know what you're looking for?”

“We don't,” Dolls admitted. “Unfortunately, we're flying blind here.”

“Truth is, Wynonna, we don't even know what kinda ritual the Jackson boys needed the artifact for in the first place, which makes it kinda hard to distinguish which item it was they were lookin' for.”

“Right.” Wynonna nodded. “You know, they did mention a thing or two last night that was kind of helpful. Well, it was more of a some _one_ than a some _thing_ , but you get the idea.”

Doc looked up from the pair of spectacles he was examining and she could already see the anger in his eyes.

“The Stone Witch,” Dolls said. “She would be helpful, but there hasn't been word of her in months. Who knows how long it would take to track her down.”

“Yeah, probably not that long, actually.” Wynonna rubbed the back of her head. “I may or may not know where she is.”

“What?”

“Wynonna, we are not asking that foul woman for help!”

“ _We_ don't have to because _you're_ not invited,” Wynonna told Doc before she turned her attention to Dolls and Waverly. “So, funny story. Dolls, you're gonna laugh at the end, I can already tell.”

“Earp!”

“Okay, okay,” she said. “Look, remember that time I was 'suspended' from Black Badge?”

“What's with the air quotes? You were _actually_ suspended. For real.”

“Right,” Wynonna said with a nervous laugh. “Well, that's why the rest of this story is so funny. See, while I was suspended, Doc and I went on a little mission of our own and, long story short, the Stone Witch is buried up to her chin in salt out in the flats.”

“Earp! You can't just go around burying people as a civilian!”

“Look here, Dolls. That woman is a witch,” Doc said, “and while the fate she received had a touch of dramatic irony to it that a man such as myself can appreciate, it was far kinder than what I wish we could have done to her.”

It wasn't long before the argument escalated and a cacophony of voices filled the kitchen.

“Enough!” Waverly's harsh voice echoed and the arguing immediately ground to a halt. “I think we have more important things to worry about than Black Badge protocol and personal grudges. You know, like figuring out which one of these items we need to destroy or neutralize or whatever?” She turned to Doc and Dolls, who still looked like they were about to tear into the other. “We need information because right now we can't make heads or tails of this stuff. So both of you, suck it up and let Wynonna go do what she needs to do to help us!”

Wynonna smiled. “Thanks, Baby Girl.”

“And after what we did to her, what makes you think the Stone Witch is gonna tell you what you need to know?”

“Maybe I'll knock a few years off her sentence for good behavior. That oughta convince her to talk.”

“Wynonna!”

“I'm kidding, Doc,” she said. “Look, we have nothing to work with so like it or not, right now she's our best bet. And when I get some answers, you can work out how to destroy the damn thing.”

Doc scowled. “I still don't think you should be goin' up against the Stone Witch on your own.”

“Please. She's in a field of salt. The worst she can do is hurl insults at me, and I get those from people around town daily,” she said. “Besides, I'll have backup.”

“Well, alrighty then. Just give me a moment to get ready.”

“Not you, Doc. You'll just say something that makes her clam up.” She shook her head and said, “No, there's one other Black Badge agent I need to track down to help me with this one."

Waverly sighed. “Wynonna...”

“Don't _Wynonna_ me. I'm gonna get some answers today, and not just from the Stone Witch.” Then she fled the kitchen before Waverly could object again. As she headed out the front door, she yelled over her shoulder, “Call me if you figure something out before I do!”

She closed the door behind her, cutting off Waverly's protests.

* * *

Waverly heard the door shut and sighed at the sound of the truck rumbling down the drive minutes later. The silver pocket watch she had been studying hit the table with a soft 'plunk' and her chair scraped across the floor. She wished she had gone with her sister. She wanted to see Nicole again—the oversized sweater she had on was hardly a worthy replacement—and she wanted to apologize for how she had acted yesterday morning when she had been tired and frustrated.

But she also didn't want Nicole to feel ambushed, and if she went with Wynonna, she had a feeling that's exactly what it would seem like.

Waverly pinched the bridge of her nose before she stood up and stalked over to the fridge. The items in the safety deposit box weren't giving up their secrets, which was only adding more frustration to her plate. She couldn't help Wynonna with the Revenants and she couldn't help Nicole with Joanna.

Joanna.

The name rolled around in Waverly's head and her lips contorted into a scowl. She hated that she had let the woman get under skin that day at Shorty's. Worse, the way Joanna had spoken about Nicole in the bar still had her blood boiling a week later. The fact that the woman kept showing up at Shorty's with a smug smile on her face only made things worse.

Waverly yanked the fridge door open and searched inside. It was nearly empty and she'd have to go shopping again soon, but there was enough lunch meat left that she could whip up sandwiches for everyone. That was one way she could help, she supposed. She balanced the plastic tubs of meat and a package of lettuce in one hand, mayonnaise in the other, and held a package of cheese between her teeth. The door slowly shut behind her as she made her way to the counter. She dropped the ingredients near the breadbox and tugged open the drawer, the silverware rattling as she pulled harder than necessary.

“Everything alright?”

Waverly jumped at the soft voice behind her. She looked over her shoulder and found Jesse watching her with concern in their eyes.

“Everything's fine,” she said as she pulled out a knife. She slammed the drawer shut and turned around, still brandishing the knife. “You know what? No. Everything is not fine. My sister got shot, we can't figure out what those Revenants wanted so now she has to go talk to a witch—a woman who is probably pissed at her, by the way—and she's taking my girlfriend with her, and I don't even know if Nicole's actually my girlfriend anymore because she won't talk to me while Joanna is in town.” Her grip on the knife's handle tightened. “Meanwhile, _Joanna_ has no problem coming around the bar and it's like her eyes are always on me. And that stupid grin she gets whenever she waltzes through the door—”

“Whoa!” Jesse took a step back as Waverly gestured with the blade, coming a little too close for comfort. They gently wrapped a calloused hand around Waverly's wrist and the other coaxed the knife away from her. “How about I take this and you just... take a moment to breathe?”

Waverly sighed and sagged against the counter. “Sorry.”

“It's okay,” Jesse said. They gestured for Waverly to move aside and, once she had stepped out of the way, they started on the sandwiches. “I understand where you're coming from. I know what it's like to feel helpless when the person you love is hurting and you can do nothing to help them.” Their voice was soft as they worked. “It's worse when they keep pushing you away.”

“You can say that again,” Waverly muttered, but her thoughts drifted back to the first two weeks after that _thing_ had been ripped from her body.

Had Nicole felt this helpless when she refused to leave her room? When she wouldn't speak with anyone? She vaguely remembered the sound of Nicole and Wynonna's voices drifting through her bedroom door, not demanding anything. Just talking so Waverly would know they were there; so she would know she wasn't alone, even after the things she had done.

Did Nicole feel alone now?

“All done.”

Waverly looked at the sandwiches spread over the counter on paper plates. She grabbed two plates and took them over to Doc and Dolls at the kitchen table, who stopped their quiet argument over the Stone Witch's fate long enough to thank her. Jesse already held two plates in their hands, leaving one for Waverly. She decided to leave Doc and Dolls to their conversation and followed Jesse to the living room.

Isaiah knelt beside the couch, studying its frame. He looked up when Jesse nudged him with their foot. They offered the sandwich with a smile and after Isaiah took the plate, the two of them took a seat on the couch.

“So,” she said as she sank into the soft chair across from them, “I was thinking about sleeping arrangements. Wynonna is going to moan and complain if the two of you take over her couch.”

“We'd be doing her a favor,” Isaiah grumbled. “Damn thing's lopsided.”

“Yeah, but she's pretty fond of it,” Waverly said. “But we uh... we have another bedroom. Upstairs.” She rubbed the back of her head. It felt strange, offering Willa's room after years of pretending it didn't exist. “We can get the two of you set up in there until Wynonna takes care of um...”

“My grandfather,” Isaiah supplied.

“Yeah.” Waverly shook her head. “Sorry. It's still strange thinking of the Revenants having families. Descendents. Whatever.”

“I barely know the man,” he said, “and my family wasn't big on inviting demons and freaks to reunions.”

“So they did know about the Revenants!”

Isaiah shrugged. “More or less. It wasn't really talked about, but we all knew what we came from. We just kinda... avoided it. You see how well that turned out.”

“Well, he'll be out of your hair soon enough,” Waverly said. “You two will be back home giving riding lessons in no time because Wynonna's going to take care of him for good.”

“That's what my family thought about Ward and all the others before him, but they were wrong. Jimmy and his friends are still out there because you Earps are terrible at staying alive long enough to end the curse,” Isaiah said. “What makes your sister any different from them?”

Jesse reached over and placed their hand on Isaiah's arm. “You're lashing out, honey. I know you're worried, but Waverly and Wynonna are only trying to help.”

“I'm not lashing out. I'm being realistic,” Isaiah said, but his voice softened. “What makes Wynonna so special that she can end the curse the people before her couldn't?”

“Simple.” Waverly grinned. “She's got us.”

* * *

Wynonna's plan to question the Stone Witch with Nicole had one major problem: She couldn't find Nicole.

Apparently, she was off duty, so tracking her down at the police station had been a bust. When she went to her apartment, the door was locked. That hadn't discouraged Wynonna, though, and one picked lock later, she had let herself inside, only to be greeted by Cat. The ragged tortoiseshell cat had managed to scurry up to Wynonna's shoulder and perched herself there while Wynonna searched for any clue as to where her owner was. Empty take-out boxes scattered across the floor was all she found. A nest of blankets had taken up half the couch while a pile of dirty clothes covered the other side. Wynonna frowned at the sight, but once she was sure Nicole wasn't home, she gave Cat a soft pat and left, reminding herself to tell Nicole she needed a new lock on her door.

After she searched the apartment, Wynonna's next stop was Shorty's. It was a long shot—she doubted Nicole would go there if she was avoiding Waverly—but she was running out of options.

The bar was packed. Some were regulars. Most had been brought by the advertisement on the chalkboard outside for half-priced wings with a drink order. The twang of country music playing from the jukebox could barely be heard over the patrons. One of the new waitresses pushed past Wynonna with two platters balanced in her arms. A rushed apology was out of her lips after she stepped on Wynonna's foot in passing.

God, she hated Fridays at Shorty's.

She shoved through a throng of people huddled around the mechanical bull—Gus had gotten it repaired mid-winter to stop stir-crazy rednecks from getting into fistfights—and approached the crowded bar. After wedging herself between two rodeo boys, she ordered the cheapest beer on the menu. While she waited for the bartender to return, she scanned the masses, hoping to find a familiar shock of red hair. Otherwise, she'd have to go question the Stone Witch herself, and that idea was less than appealing to her.

The bartender returned and, after she passed over the last of the cash Waverly had loaned her, he handed over the bottle. She still hadn't found Nicole, but it was nearly impossible to make anyone out in the crowd. She slipped off the bar stool, beer in hand, and continued her search. She was mid-swig when the mass of people shifted just enough for her to see Nicole near the pool tables. Beside her, an unfamiliar blonde woman leaned over the table, stick in hand.

Wynonna's grip on the bottle tightened at the sight. Her sister had been devastated the night Nicole had called for a break. Meanwhile, Nicole had apparently been spending her time chatting up pretty blondes. Wynonna chugged the last of her beer and placed the empty bottle on the busy waitress's tray as she walked past her before she started towards the pool tables. She already had a speech planned about how she had thought Nicole was better than Champ and that she should feel terrible for running around on Waverly. But as she approached, she heard Nicole speak up.

“Isn't your vacation almost over? It's been a week. Shouldn't the board be missing you by now?”

“That hurts, Nicky. We've barely spoken and you already want me to leave.” The woman pouted. “I dunno, though.” Joanna leaned against the pool table. “It's actually kind of nice here. Quiet and peaceful. Maybe I'll get myself a plot of land out here in the country, buy up some shares of a few local businesses. This bar might be a good start.”

“Joanna!”

“Kidding,” she said. “God, you never could take a joke.”

“I mean it. Leave Waverly out of this.”

Joanna regarded Nicole for a moment. “Well look at you,” she said, leaning on her pool stick. “You're real tough shit now that you've got that badge to hide behind, aren't you, Nicky? You gonna arrest me, Officer?” When Nicole looked away, Joanna laughed. “You know, when Waverly told me her girlfriend was a cop, you are the last person I would have imagined. Never thought you had it in you.” She tilted her head to the side. “Then again, given the other options in town, it must have been a pretty low bar to stumble over.”

“God, would you shut up?!”

Wynonna blinked at the sound of Nicole's raised voice.

Nicole tightened her grip around the pool stick and managed to meet Joanna's gaze. “I worked so hard to get where I am now. And you just... you show up out of nowhere.”

“How else was I supposed to get some answers, Nicole? You sure as hell didn't give me any. Two years together, yet I wake up to an empty bed, no note or anything. Two years together, and you threw it all away for what? To play cops and robbers in this backwater town?”

“To get away from you!”

The statement hung between them for a long moment before Joanna spoke again.

“I see,” Joanna said. “Everything I did for you, and you can't be bothered to stick around and work things out during a rough patch. You'd rather slink away in the middle of the night.” Her expression morphed into a scowl and she stepped forward until she had invaded Nicole's space. “You may have the people around here fooled, but I know the real you. You're a coward, Nicky. A pathetic. Useless. Coward.”

“Maybe I am,” Nicole said, “but you're the one who stalked a girl thousands of miles from home because you couldn't fathom the idea that she didn't want to be with you anymore.” She mimicked Joanna's actions from earlier and cocked her head to the side. “Looks like I'm not the only pathetic one here.”

She shoved past Joanna, but a slender hand darted out and wrapped around her wrist.

“You don't get to walk away from me, Nicole.” Her voice was a low growl as she yanked Nicole back and shoved her up against the pool table. “Not this time.”

Wynonna's body reacted before her head had a chance to catch up with what was going on. One moment, she was spying on her friend from a confused couple's table and stealing their fries. The next, she was on her feet and her hand was tangled in Joanna's thick locks of hair. She yanked as hard as she could until Joanna stumbled into a nearby table behind them, sending plates and glasses clattering to the floor, and the group seated there groaned as their drinks were knocked over.

A scowl marred Joanna's face once she regained her footing and Wynonna saw the shift in her stance a moment later. After a year of dealing with stronger and faster Revenants, it was easy for Wynonna to sidestep the punch Joanna threw in retaliation. She grabbed the arm that had just sailed past her face and twisted it behind Joanna's back until she heard a yell, then slammed her into the pool table beside Nicole.

“Who the fu—”

“Wynonna!”

“One second, Haught Shot,” Wynonna said. She leaned forward and growled into Joanna's ear, “I don't know who you think you are, but you don't get to grab her like that.”

“Jesus, I barely touched her!”

Wynonna turned Joanna around, but promptly closed the distance between them so they were chest to chest, her hands placed on the pool table on either side of Joanna's hips.

“You think I don't know your type, lady?” She narrowed her eyes. “I've been enough places to know that people like you come in all kinds of shitty packages, and the worst are the ones who act like they've done nothing wrong.”

Joanna scowled and shoved Wynonna away from her. “You have no idea who you're messing with.”

“A no good punk with an inferiority complex? Scum of the earth? Human garbage?” Wynonna raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, I'm pretty sure I've got you pegged.”

“Wynonna,” Nicole said from beside her. She placed her hand on Wynonna's shoulder. “Leave it alone. I'm fine.”

“She's right,” Joanna said, her hands balled into fists. “You need to mind your own business.”

Wynonna shrugged Nicole's hand off her shoulder. “You touch my friend like that, it is my business,” she said. “You do it again, I'll make sure you regret it.”

“I'd like to see you try.”

“Don't even think about it,” Nicole said, as if she knew exactly how Wynonna had planned to respond to that challenge. “She's not worth a night in jail.”

Wynonna rolled her eyes, but refrained from rising to Joanna's bait. Still, she stepped close to the woman again. Her voice was dangerously low as she said, “You know, there's a lot of open land surrounding this backwater town of ours. Lots of places where curious tourists get lost and are never found again.” Once she was sure her meaning was understood, she took a step back and plastered a fake smile on her face. “Enjoy the rest of your stay in Purgatory, asshole.”

The scowl on Joanna's face was priceless.

Wynonna turned back to Nicole and nodded her head towards the bar. Nicole sighed, but she weaved her way through the throngs of people that had gathered. Wynonna followed behind her, ignoring the burning gaze she could feel on her shoulders as she walked away from Joanna. When Nicole took a seat at the counter, Wynonna hopped on the stool beside her.

“Listen, Haught Stuff, as much as I enjoy slamming pieces of shit into pool tables, I kinda came here for something else,” she said, and Nicole looked up from the counter and the invisible design she had been tracing over the wood. “I know it's your day off, but I could use your help with a Black Badge case.”

“What about Doc and Dolls?”

“Doc would just make this particular situation worse and Dolls is gonna be busy,” Wynonna said. She debated with herself for a moment before she added, “Waverly's got her hands full, too.” Nicole shifted her gaze back to the bar at the mention of Waverly's name. “That just leaves you, Haught Shot, so what do you say to a little road trip?”

Nicole scratched at the wood a little longer as she thought the question over. Then she looked up from the counter and scanned the crowded room. She faltered for a moment, and Wynonna could only imagine that Joanna was glaring at them from across the room while nursing a bruised ego. Then she sighed and nodded her head.

“I guess someone's gotta keep you out of trouble, Wynonna.”

Wynonna winked and slid off the stool. Nicole stuffed a wad of ones into the tip jar for the new waitress, then followed Wynonna through the swelling mass of bodies that had grown since Wynonna walked in earlier.

The fresh spring air outside was a welcome change to the stifling smell of sweaty cowboys and alcohol. As they walked across the parking lot to the truck, Wynonna noticed Nicole's hunched shoulders and the way she kept her hands stuffed in the pockets of her jeans. None of the confidence she associated with Nicole was present now that they had left the bar, and she wondered just how bad things with Joanna had been before Nicole left her if just being around her was affecting her like this.

After they climbed into the truck cab, the rumble of the engine was the only sound between them. The conversation Wynonna had planned on the way to town had been scrapped and now she was left drumming her fingers on the steering wheel as she drove while Nicole fiddled with her seat belt. Wynonna waited until they were well on their way to the middle of nowhere before she spoke up.

“Are you okay?”

“You weren't supposed to see that.”

“Yeah, my best friend getting manhandled wasn't exactly something I wanted to see,” Wynonna said. “Doesn't answer my question and it sure as hell doesn't explain why you didn't bother to mention your ex is kind of an asshole.”

“I didn't want you all involved. It was my problem.”

“Right. Your problem. Because you never help us with our problems ever.” Wynonna scowled and tightened her grip on the steering wheel. “You know I can't keep this from Waverly, right? Unlike you, I actually care about my baby sister.”

“I do care,” Nicole said. “Wynonna, I love Waverly. But when Joanna showed up, I panicked. All I could think about was what she could do if... if she knew that I had moved on.” She studied the dashboard for a moment before she turned her head towards Wynonna again. “When I left, I didn't tell anyone where I was going. Not even the girl who helped me leave. If no one knew where I was, she couldn't wheedle it out of them.” Nicole shook her head. “She still wound up here, though, and she claims she's just on vacation, but...”

“But it feels like she hunted you down,” Wynonna finished for her.

Nicole nodded. “And if she could track me down like that, I didn't want to think about what else she could do. I don't know what I would do if you or Waverly were hurt by one of my mistakes.” She sighed and looked out the window. “You two have already been through so much. I didn't want to add to it.”

Wynonna hesitated for a moment before she reached over and placed her hand on Nicole's knee. “Hey,” she said, “Waverly and I don't exactly deal with our problems on our own, you know,” she said. “Hell, you've nearly been on a morgue table three times now because of us, but you keep coming back for more.” She took a chance and glanced away from the road to look at Nicole, whose gaze was locked on the hand on her knee. “We're here for you, dude. All you gotta do is ask.”

Wynonna turned her attention back to the road and let her words sink in as they sped down the road. Nicole stayed quiet, hopefully absorbing what she had just said.

As they drove further down the road, green grass withered and gave way to earth coated in bright white salt, and Nicole's brow furrowed.

“What exactly did you need me for, Wynonna?”

“Questioning a perp,”

“In the salt flats?”

“Yup,” Wynonna said. She turned the truck off the road and the ground crunched beneath the tires. “Just a heads up: The woman we're questioning may not be very happy with me.”

“Ah. So that's why you needed to bring me along. You don't think she'll tell you anything.”

“I always knew you were a smart one.”

“And what makes you think I'll have any more luck than you?”

Wynonna shrugged. “Desperation?”

Nicole snorted. “Thanks,” she said, but the hint of a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Then her jaw dropped as the truck slowed to a stop. “What the hell, Wynonna?”

Wynonna rubbed the back of her head and avoided Nicole's gaze. Not too far from the truck, the Stone Witch's head could be seen breaking through the salted earth. Her hair had been crusted in salt and a pile had built up behind her head.

“I told you she might not be happy with me.”

“I can't imagine why,” Nicole said as she got out of the truck. The door slammed shut, and Wynonna saw the Stone Witch's head twitch at the sound.

“Look, she's a witch who gets a kick out of ruining lives,” Wynonna said. “And I couldn't just take care of her the old fashioned way. She's tethered to Doc. If she dies, who knows what happens to him.”

Nicole considered her words, then shook her head. “We're going to have a serious discussion on ethics one of these days.”

“Hey, I'm ethical!” Wynonna followed after Nicole, not bothering to shut the door to the truck. “I'll have you know, I have ethics coming out of my ass, Haught Shot,” she said as she joined her in front of the Stone Witch. She glanced down at the woman buried in the salt. “Yikes,” she said. “The salt around here has really done nothing for your mascara.”

“Wynonna? Wynonna!” The witch's voice was barely above a rasp. “So glad to see you, dear. I'd offer you and your friend a seat, but as you can see, I am up to my neck in _salt_!”

Wynonna winced at the emphasis placed on the last word.

“And whose fault is that?”

“Yours!” She coughed after the outburst and glared at Wynonna. “I don't suppose you're here to correct that mistake?”

Wynonna and Nicole shared a look before Wynonna crouched down so she was eye level with the witch.

“Unfortunately for you, no,” Wynonna said. “Actually, we're here because we need some information.”

A sharp bark of laughter pierced the air. It was followed by another, which soon devolved into hysterical laughter, which then turned to tears. Wynonna cringed and reached out to fix the streaks of eyeliner running down the witch's cheeks, but she jerked away from the touch and her eyes blazed.

“You bury me in this wasteland and you come around asking for favors?” She laughed again. “You are hilarious, Wynonna Earp. A true comedic talent and I applaud you for your performance. At least, I would, if I weren't still buried here!”

“Hey, you're the one who tried to bring your satanic sons back to earth, so you brought this on yourself,” Wynonna said. “And don't think I've forgotten about the time you attacked my sister with zombie strippers.”

“He wasn't a zombie before your sister stabbed him in the head.” The witch struggled against the earth and when it was no use, she screamed in frustration. “Let me out of here!”

The words died on her lips as she fell into another coughing fit, the dry air taking its toll on her lungs. Wynonna looked over her shoulder at Nicole to see if she had any bright ideas, but the other woman had disappeared. Then she heard the truck door shut and when Nicole came back, a half-full bottle of water was in her hands. Wynonna stood and stretched while Nicole sat down in front of the witch.

She unscrewed the lid and leaned the bottle towards the witch. “I'm sorry it's already half-gone and kinda warm. It's all we had in the truck,” she said in a soft voice. When the witch made no move to lean forward, Nicole offered a smile along with the drink. “Come on. I know all this salt around here had to have made you thirsty, witch or not. It'll make your throat feel better.”

The witch glared at her but leaned her head forward so Nicole could give her a sip, which turned into a guzzle, which turned into her chugging the last of the water bottle. Once it was empty, Nicole gave her a sad smile and handed Wynonna the empty bottle.

“Better?”

“Am I still up to my neck in salt?” Nicole nodded and the witch's lips curled into a sneer. “Then why would it be better?!”

Nicole looked over her shoulder at Wynonna, who shrugged. She already knew the Stone Witch wouldn't be very accommodating and she had warned Nicole about that. There wasn't much else she could do aside from digging her out of that hole, which wasn't an option. Nicole rolled her eyes at Wynonna's unhelpful response and turned back to the witch.

“Listen, I can't dig you out of there—not after what Wynonna's told me about you—but I can make you a deal,” she said, and the witch quirked an eyebrow. “If you tell Wynonna what she needs to know, I'll come out here once a week and sit with you.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“I'm failing to see the appeal in this deal, Ginger Snap.”

Nicole tilted her head to the side, then got to her feet.

“Come on, Wynonna,” she said. “We'll just have to figure it out on our own. I thought she might be lonely, out here in the middle of nowhere and all, but it seems she's not in the mood for guests.”

Wynonna saluted the witch as she walked by her. They were halfway to the truck when the witch called after them.

“Wait!” Wynonna and Nicole stopped in their tracks and Nicole had a hint of a smile on her lips. “Just... come back. Maybe we can work something out after all.” The two of them returned to the space in front of the witch and Nicole sat down in front of her again. “You said you would stop by once a week?” Nicole nodded. “And just how long would these visits last? Long enough to taunt me and take off again? Get a good laugh at the witch in the dirt?”

“I'll stay as long as you like.”

The witch stared at her for a long moment before she gritted her teeth and said, “Fine.” She shifted her attention to Wynonna, who still stood behind Nicole. “What do you want?”

Wynonna, for her part, hid her surprise at the fact that Nicole's plan worked, and said, “I need to know what you gave to Jimmy Jackson and his band of horse thieves.”

“Jimmy Jackson?” The witch's brow furrowed in confusion, but then she laughed. “Oh. Oh this is fantastic. Jimmy's finally grown a backbone and gone down his own path instead of following Bobo's.”

“Yeah, well, Bobo's dead, so he doesn't have much of path now,” Wynonna said, and she could have sworn she saw something like awe pass over the witch's face. “Now spill. What did you give Jimmy and what the hell was he going to do with it?”

“You're very rude,” the witch said. She focused her gaze on Nicole instead and said, “It was a pocket watch. Nothing fancy, but it would get the job done.”

Nicole tilted her head to the side. “What job is that?”

“I assume the two of you have heard of the Four Horsemen.”

Wynonna's brow furrowed. “Like, of the apocalypse variety?”

“The very same,” the witch said. “What you may not know about them is that it's actually the horses with the true power. Each time they rise from the Underworld, they must find a new rider to tether them to this realm, or they will be dragged back into the Underworld once their time is up.”

“Shit,” Wynonna said. “So you gave Jimmy and his men the power to summon the apocalypse?”

The witch rolled her eyes. “They don't _actually_ cause the apocalypse,” she said. “Mostly, they just cause chaos and destruction which, while very terrifying for most people, isn't actually the end of the world. Horsemen of the Apocalypse was just a very catchy name they acquired over time.”

“Alright, so how do we destroy this pocket watch you so kindly gave them?”

“How should I know? I didn't enchant it.”

“You're a witch!”

“Yeah, well I'm not the only witch in the world, am I?” The Stone Witch huffed and shook her hair out of her eyes. “The truth is, I stole that time piece from one of my rivals centuries ago and when she came to take it back, I made sure she didn't get it by labeling her a witch and having her burned at the stake.”

Wynonna scowled. “Now I see how you got the name 'Stone Cold'.”

Nicole's brow furrowed. “Wait, is she the reason Doc got a car?”

“Come on,” Wynonna said, ignoring the question. “We've got to figure out how to destroy that thing before someone else can use it.”

Nicole got up from the ground and dusted the salt off her jeans. As they walked back to the truck, the witch's shrill voice rang through the air.

“Do not forget your promise, Nicole Haught. If you survive the trials to come, you will return here every week.”

Wynonna and Nicole looked at one another from either side of the truck before they climbed in.

“Do you really think that was a good idea?”

Nicole shrugged. “It's not like arguing with her was working. I figured the promise of company might make her more cooperative.”

“Finally! Someone who knows how to play the good cop to my bad cop.”

“You're a terrible cop, Wynonna,” Nicole said. “Seriously though, is she the reason Doc had a car?”

“Yeah,” Wynonna said as she started the engine. “I gave it to him after we stuck her out here in the flats. A trophy of sorts to celebrate beating the woman who trapped him in a well.”

Nicole nodded. “That makes sense. Kind of a strange gift for a guy who doesn't have a license, though.”

Wynonna studied her for a moment, then shook her head.

“You are something else, Haught Stuff,” she said as the truck rumbled through the salt flats back to the highway.

* * *

Waverly crouched beside a freshly showered Isaiah, who held a tape measure in his hand and a pencil in his mouth. Jesse sat on the floor with one end in their hand while Isaiah pulled it across the length of the couch. A pad of paper and a glass of water sat beside him. After every measurement, he would take the pencil from his mouth and scribble on the notepad. Half a page of numbers and notes later, he nodded to himself and tore the leaf of paper from the pad. Jesse took it from him and tucked it in the pocket of their jeans. Satisfied for the moment, Isaiah handed the pencil and notepad back to Waverly.

“Soon as this is all over, we'll get to work on that.”

“You know you don't owe us anything, right?”

“If your sister manages to take down Jimmy and his friends, I'll owe you all more than I can say,” he said. “It isn't much work to replace a lopsided couch.”

“We'll have it done in no time,” Jesse said with a grin.

Waverly laughed—and it felt so nice to do that again—and returned the smile. When her phone buzzed in her pocket, she excused herself and went to the dining room, where Dolls and Doc were still studying the pile of items from the bank.

“Hey, what did you find out?”

Wynonna's voice crackled over phone. “The...tch...ly. … wanted.”

“Wynonna? You're breaking up.” The line died a moment later and Waverly frowned down at the phone in her hand. “The service around here is balls.” She slid the phone back into her pocket and took a seat at the table. “Any luck?”

“I'd say we've used up the last bit of our luck, Waverly,” Doc said. “Hopefully Wynonna was able to pull something out of that creature in the flats.”

“And hopefully she doesn't just lie to her, either,” Dolls added. “Wouldn't surprise me after the two of you decided to bury her out there.”

Doc started to respond, but his words were drowned out by the deafening roar of engines revving outside the house. Waverly's brow furrowed and her gaze drifted to the window above the sink. Before she could get a good look at what was going on, a loud crash from the living room startled her. It was followed by a shout and another crash.

Chairs scraped against the floor as all three of them stood from the table. Dolls and Doc drew their weapons. Isaiah called Waverly's name and they rushed to the living room. Waverly grabbed her shotgun propped against the wall on her way out of the kitchen.

In the living room, near the foot of the stairs, Jesse held a struggling figure face down against the floor. Isaiah crouched beside the two of them, a scowl on his face. A table had been upended in the struggle, as well as a lamp. The man beneath Jesse's knee struggled to get free, but the knee pressed against the middle of his back kept him where he was.

Isaiah shifted his gaze to Doc. “I thought you said they couldn't come here.”

“I do believe I said the Revenants couldn't come here,” Doc said. He narrowed his eyes at the man beneath Jesse's knee. “ _That_ is not a Revenant, but he is one of the trailer park boys.”

Jesse looked up and tilted their head. “What do you mean?”

“I mean I'm not the only human who made a pact with the devils in that park.” Jesse's eyes went wide. “Well, I'm not working for them now. Consider me reformed.”

The crack of a gun echoed from outside and the window in the living room shattered, its shards clinking against the wood floor. Jesse and Isaiah held their ground near their captive so he couldn't escape while Dolls, Doc, and Waverly took up position around the room. Waverly stayed near the broken window, the grip on her shotgun tight as she waited. Doc stayed near the front door while Dolls positioned himself near the doorway to the kitchen.

“How did our friend here get in?” Dolls said as he watched the back door for any intruders.

“Came down the stairs,” Isaiah growled. Another gunshot echoed and Jesse yelped as the picture on the wall fell beside them. “Must have come ahead of the rest of 'em.”

Waverly propped the shotgun on the windowsill. Through the broken window, she saw the line of motorcycles along the fence line. A few riders still straddled their bikes, but most had already come within its limits, guns drawn. It was hard to make out how many of them there were all together, but the yard was filled with them. Another crack of a gunshot and the wood near the window splintered, and Waverly had to duck way from the debris.

She scowled and returned to her position.

Two could play at that game.

She cracked off a shot and had the satisfaction of listening to one of the attackers yelp as he scrambled out of the way.

The man on the floor finally spoke. “You all think you can stop what's coming?”

“Quiet,” Isaiah said from beside him.

“There's no Wynonna here to protect you now, is there?” The man laughed. “No one can stop what he has planned.”

“Wanna bet?”

She fired off another round and it was followed by a scream as one of the men outside clutched at his shoulder, red pooling around his fingers.

The victory was short lived.

Waverly's eyes widened when the attackers leveled their guns at the house and began firing. Wood splintered from the force of the bullets. Waverly slid down the wall, away from the window, and memories from another attack flooded her mind, but she pushed those thoughts away so she could focus on the present.

Doc had moved away from the front door after one of the bullets pierced a hole through the wall inches away from him. He had pulled Wynonna's couch from the corner and placed it strategically in front of himself, Isaiah, and Jesse, along with their captive. Dolls held his ground near the doorway to the kitchen and had already put down one intruder trying to creep in through the back door.

The barrage of bullets halted and the creak of wood was all that was heard.

Then several things happened at once.

The front door exploded to bits, taking pieces of the wall with it, and Waverly's ears rang from the sound. The force of the explosion rocked the house and the blast knocked Doc back towards Isaiah and Jesse, who had been pushed back to the wall by the explosion. The man Jesse had restrained clambered to his feet and while Dolls was still regaining his footing beside the doorway to the kitchen, he shoved past him and sprinted for the pile of items on the kitchen table. After regaining his footing, Dolls ran after him and tackled the intruder into the table, sending the items to the floor.

Meanwhile, the attackers from outside had begun to flood the house. Waverly fired off the last few shots she had left in her shotgun, taking down two of the men who had started towards Doc, Isaiah, and Jesse. Doc struggled into a sitting position and nodded at Waverly in thanks before he grabbed his gun off the floor and started firing at as many of the intruders as he could. Isaiah and Jesse stood back to back, fending off those who accidentally stepped too close.

Out of shells, Waverly used the butt of her shotgun to knock one of the men in the back of the head as she made her way to the kitchen to help Dolls. She wasn't the only one with that idea, however, and rough hands grabbed at her arms to hold her back. She struggled free and swung the butt of her shotgun at her assailant to fend them off, but it felt like every time she fought off one attacker, another was rushing past her.

Then she was on the ground, the wind knocked out of her from the force of the fall, and her shotgun clattered across the floor. Thick legs straddled her waist. She struggled against the weight that made it hard for her to breathe, but they held firm and a rough hand against the back of her neck kept her pinned. She gritted her teeth and stretched her arm towards the shotgun that had fallen from her hands, but it was too far from her fingertips. The one on top of her laughed as they watched her struggle and she could feel the laughter rumble against her back as dark spots filled her vision.

“Waverly!”

Her heart fluttered at the muffled sound of the familiar voice calling her name. A moment later, the weight had been pulled off of her and she groaned as she rolled onto her back. Chaos still surrounded her, but at least she could breathe easier now. She turned her head so her cheek rested against the cool wooden floor, and winced at the stiffness in her neck. She saw Nicole—her brave and sweet Nicole—take down a man twice her size with a swift punch to the gut, followed by a knee to the face. Once he was down, Nicole returned to Waverly's side and helped her sit up.

She could see Nicole's mouth moving, but her ears were still ringing from the explosion. She squinted, trying to focus on Nicole's lips so she could make out what she was saying, but it was no use, so she let her gaze wander to worried brown eyes looking her over. When the harsh ringing finally quieted to a low buzz, she realized the sound of gunshots had died off as well. She slowly looked around the room so she didn't aggravate her neck and saw the destruction of the living room in its entirety.

Chunks of wood and glass littered the floor. Bullets and shotgun shells were scattered amongst the mess and pools of red had already begun to stain the floor. The man Nicole had knocked unconscious wasn't the only attacker left in the house. It seemed most had fled once Wynonna and Nicole showed up, but a few remained, bloody, bruised, and glaring at Isaiah and Jesse as they guarded them. Waverly winced as she turned her gaze to the kitchen, where Dolls sat at the now upright table with a bag of frozen peas pressed against his head while Wynonna frantically dug through the items scattered across the floor. Doc showed up at Dolls's side with a beer bottle in hand. He cracked the lid off and handed it over.

Assured that everyone was okay, she turned back to Nicole, who was still watching her every move with worry.

“At least I didn't get shot this time?”

“No, no you did not get shot this time,” Nicole said, but her voice was strained as her eyes flickered to Waverly's neck.

Waverly gingerly brushed the sore area with her fingertips. The skin was tender to the touch and she had a feeling she was going to have a nasty pattern of bruises there. Then again, it felt like her entire body was a huge bruise at the moment.

“I'll be right back.”

Waverly wanted to whine when Nicole left her side, but she was too tired, so she settled for pouting until Nicole returned with a bag of frozen carrots wrapped in a towel. She gently placed the bag against Waverly's neck and held it in place until Waverly's hand brushed against hers.

A frustrated groan from the kitchen disturbed the moment and made them both look towards Wynonna, who had stood up from the pile of discarded items.

“Fantastic. The watch is gone.” Wynonna shook her head and paced across the kitchen floor, only to stop a few moments later near a crooked cabinet door hanging open, clinging to the wood with one hinge still intact. “I am so _tired_ of fixing this damn place.” A well aimed kick at the crooked door sent it directly into the only window that hadn't been broken in the assault, and the glass shattered as the wooden door sailed through it.

“God damn it!”

Waverly cringed at the shattering glass and Wynonna's mood. She turned back to Nicole and slipped her free hand over hers, giving her a soft smile. Nicole breathed a sigh of relief and, taking the touch as an invitation for more contact, she maneuvered herself behind Waverly so she could rest against her. When Waverly leaned into her, Nicole wrapped her arms around her waist and set her chin on Waverly's shoulders.

“I missed you,” Waverly said.

“I know.” Nicole placed a soft kiss against Waverly's neck, and Waverly hummed in pleasure until Nicole pulled away. “I... I handled everything wrong and it hurt you. I'm sorry.”

“Hey,” she said, and turned her head to face Nicole. “What do you say we take this conversation somewhere else?”

For a moment, it looked like Nicole wouldn't agree, and Waverly prepared herself for yet another rejection, but then Nicole nodded. “Yeah,” she said. “I think... I think I could do with some air anyway.”

Waverly let Nicole help her to her feet. She swayed slightly and Nicole placed her hands on her shoulders to hold her up. Once she was steady, Nicole's hands slid away. Waverly frowned at the loss, but a moment later, Nicole was lacing their fingers together, and she realized just how much she had missed that.

She thought about telling Wynonna they would be back soon to work on a plan, but her sister was busy raiding the fridge, most likely for the last few bottles of beer they had, so she only shook her head and started for what remained of the front door, her girlfriend's hand in hers.

Part of her felt guilty for not getting to work on a plan immediately, but the larger, lonelier part was just happy to have Nicole again. Besides, it wasn't like Dolls, Doc, and Wynonna were incapable of coming up with something without her.

She looked down at the clasped hands between her and Nicole and smiled at the sight.

For once, she found herself thinking the Revenant issue could wait a little longer.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're bored, feel free to check out the first bit of another project I'm working on called 'In Fates Hands.' :) Sorry for any typos. Posted this right before leaving for work.


	5. Walls Can Fall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I try not to do these at the beginning, but this felt like an appropriate chapter to do so. Just wanted to let you all know that the first bit of this chapter is kind of heavy. It deals with emotional abuse and manipulation, along with a discussion of possibly dubious consent. If that bothers you, feel free not to read the first section.

Despite the chaos of the attack on the homestead, birds continued to merrily chirp in the trees around the house, hopping along the branches as Waverly and Nicole passed beneath them on their way to the barn. The blue sky stretched above them, puffs of clouds dotting it every so often, and the afternoon sun was warm on Waverly's back. She held Nicole's hand in hers, and even though Nicole kept her gaze planted on the barn doors, Waverly could see a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. As they approached the barn, however, the smile became more subdued. Her hand slipped out of Waverly's grasp when they stepped inside. Pressed against the wall of a stall in the barn was a tall, rusted tool chest, and Waverly watched as Nicole wandered over to it and started to search through its drawers.

She doubted her girlfriend was actually looking for anything besides something to distract herself. Even though Nicole tried her best to look calm, Waverly could see the slight shake in her hands as she dug through the middle drawer.

With soft footsteps, she joined Nicole at the tool chest and rested her hand on her forearm. Nicole's hands stilled and she released a shaky breath before she turned to face her. Brown eyes flickered to Waverly's neck again before she lifted her hand to gingerly run her fingers over the tender red marks at its base. Sensing her distress, Waverly stepped closer, wrapped her arms around Nicole's waist and rested her head on her chest. Everything that was Nicole—her smell, the way her body pressed against hers, the rise and fall of her chest—filled Waverly's senses and she wondered how she ever thought a simple worn sweater could be an adequate stand-in for the woman while she was gone.

Nicole's arms enveloped her and she felt a soft kiss pressed to the top of her head before Nicole tightened her hold, as if she were afraid to let go.

“God, Waverly,” she said, her voice unsteady, “Wynonna and I ran in there and you were... you were under some jackass twice your size and the way his hands were on you, I thought—”

“Hey, hey, hey.” Hearing the rising panic in her voice, Waverly pulled back slightly so Nicole could see her. Soft brown eyes met hers, dulled by the dark circles beneath them. “I'm okay, I swear. A little banged up, maybe, but nothing I can't handle.”

“I know,” Nicole said. “You just had me scared for a second there, is all.” Nicole tried to laugh off the admission before she closed the space between them once more and pressed her lips against Waverly's in a soft kiss. When she broke away, she rested her forehead against Waverly's. “I'm glad you're okay, Waves.”

“Yeah, I'm pretty happy I didn't get shot this time, actually.” She tilted her head up slightly to place another chaste kiss against Nicole's lips, reveling in the familiarity of it after a week apart, then tucked herself under Nicole's chin again. “What about you? How are you holding up?”

Nicole shrugged. “Considering I only caught the tail end of the attack? I'm fine.”

“That's not what I meant,” she said. “Nicole, you've been alone all week and you look exhausted.”

“So have you.”

“Okay, but my ex hasn't exactly been skulking around town either.”

“Pretty sure Champ still lives in Purgatory, unfortunately,” Nicole said with a laugh, and Waverly groaned. She was about to pull away when Nicole spoke again. “I'm sorry. I know what you want me to talk about. This is just... It's hard,” she said. “I'm so afraid it will make you look at me differently. That you'll think less of me. And that's the last thing I want.”

“You don't have to worry about that.”

“I know, but I do.” Her voice was strained, as if her throat had closed around the words. She shook her head and took a deep breath. “I hate that I panicked. I hate that I ran from you.” Nicole groaned and stepped out of Waverly's embrace. “And I _hate_ that she still has this power over me.”

She drummed her fingers on the side of the chest, tapping out an erratic rhythm as she collected her thoughts.

“We met at one of my basketball games in college. Well, I guess she had been to a couple of them before, but it was the last game of the season when she finally approached me, and I can still remember that thrill of excitement I got when she walked up to me.”

She shook her head and fiddled with the handle of the top drawer.

“She was so charming on our first date. Said all the right things. There was something magnetic about her, and one night out led to another. And it went on for months until she told me she was tired of sneaking in and out of my dorm room every night when we could wake up to one another every morning if I just... moved into her apartment with her.” Nicole shook her head. “Her fancy, two bedroom apartment with the open kitchen and spacious living room that she loved to remind me I was _lucky_ to finally have.”

Nicole closed her eyes and Waverly waited for her to collect herself. She took a step closer and placed a comforting hand on Nicole's back, which earned her a small smile.

“As far as I could tell, things were okay until basketball conditioning started up again in the fall, but I guess I um... I had already kinda lost touch with my friends. But then we started training, and I realized how much I had missed them.”

She stopped fiddling with the tool chest, only to turn around and sag against it.

“So I'd invite her to come out with us, but she'd always turn me down and tell me to have a good time on my own. Then I'd come home, and she'd accuse me of choosing my friends over her. I was suddenly like her parents, who always ignored her, and I was only using her for her family's money, like every other girl she had dated. She made me feel like I was the worst girlfriend in the world, so I tried harder.”

Nicole looked down at the messy barn floor and scuffed the toe of her shoe against the wood.

“I thought things would get better when I quit going out with my friends, but... I don't know. The two of us would go on a date and somehow I was always too friendly with the waitress or the girl at the bar. And those nights always ended in a fight that would last until I left the apartment and gave her time to cool off.”

Waverly stepped in front of her and rested her hands on Nicole's hips. With each word Nicole had spoken, she had found herself getting angrier. It was hard to picture her girlfriend with the woman she described, but Waverly also knew Nicole was loving, with a soft heart and protective nature. And from the sounds of it, Joanna had taken advantage of that. So the anger smoldered there in the center of her chest, a hot ember waiting to be ignited at the right time.

“The first time I tried to leave her, I wanted to make it a clean break. Do it the right way so we both had closure,” Nicole said. “I had even packed up my stuff, but the moment she walked through the door and saw the boxes, she broke down in the doorway and I... I don't know. I couldn't do it. She kept telling me how she didn't want to be alone again and that she was sorry she had messed up. She promised she would change, and like an idiot, I believed her.”

“Hey.” Waverly placed her palm against Nicole's cheek. She waited until Nicole met her gaze then said, “She's the one in the wrong here, not you.”

She jerked away from Waverly's touch and turned her head, but not before Waverly saw the tears building in her eyes. She had held them back this long, but it seemed her defenses had begun to crumble.

“My dad is a cop, Waverly, and my granddad before him,” she said. “I should have known better. I should have seen what she was doing and I should have left then and there. But I didn't. I let it spiral out of control, and everything just got worse. Every argument we got into after that, she'd hold it over my head that at least she hadn't tried to leave me the way I had tried to leave her. I was a quitter and a coward because I didn't love her enough to stay, but Waverly, she didn't love me enough to... to...”

The thought trailed off and was replaced instead by a choked sob.

“Nicole, honey, you're okay,” Waverly said. She placed herself back in Nicole's line of sight, only to have Nicole turn her head again and swipe at her eyes with the back of her hand. “Look at me? Please?”

Nicole shook her head, but thought better of the decision a moment later and turned back to Waverly. It took a little more coaxing to get her to look up from the floor, and when she did, Waverly could see the remnants of the tears Nicole had failed to hold back and those she was still keeping at bay. She forced a shaky smile despite the ache in her chest and took Nicole's hands in hers. Slowly, she guided her down to the barn floor and let her lean back against the tool chest. Waverly settled herself on the floor beside her and looped her arms around Nicole's before resting her head on her shoulder.

“You didn't deserve that, Nicole,” she whispered. She brushed the stray locks of hair out of Nicole's face and tucked them behind her ear. “You are _not_ a coward. You're brave and kind and I admire so much about you,” Waverly said. “And you certainly aren't a quitter for leaving her.”

She shifted in Waverly's arms and flashed a weak smile. “Thank you.”

“Seemed like you needed the reminder.”

Nicole hummed in agreement before she settled against her again, and Waverly was content to run her fingers through her hair as a comfortable silence filled the barn. Gradually, she felt the rigid body beside her relax beneath the ministrations. As she ran her fingers through the soft tresses, she thought back to her first encounter with Joanna.

She could see the appeal of holding the woman's interest. She was gorgeous, Waverly couldn't deny that, and there was something enticing about the way she spoke. Something magnetic. Part of her wondered how things would have worked out if she had met Joanna instead of Nicole. If she would have fallen under the spell the woman seemed to weave with her words and her intensity the same way she had fallen for Nicole's easy charm.

She frowned at that thought.

When they had first started talking, Nicole had given her as much space and time as she needed to figure herself out. She had never pushed Waverly into more than she could handle. But Joanna had been persistent even after Waverly had snapped at her during their first meeting. She'd followed her into the library, unable to take the rejection for what it was.

Waverly's fingers stilled as an unwanted thought popped into her head.

A memory of Nicole in the kitchen, the lost expression on her face as she stared out the window. The tight grip she held on the lip of the counter. An unexpected question asked in the dim glow of the television light as they sat on the couch.

“Nicole?”

“Hm?”

“That first night after Joanna showed up, you asked me if I had ever done something with you because I thought I had to,” Waverly said, and Nicole tensed beside her. She obviously remembered the question she had in mind. “You... Did Joanna ever...”

She couldn't find the words to ask, but judging by the way Nicole tensed beside her, she had an idea of what Waverly was trying to say.

She didn't respond right away, and Waverly didn't push. Instead, she resumed running her fingers through the soft red locks, hoping to ease some of the tension she had caused. She was about to tell her to forget the question—as if that were possible—when Nicole's soft voice broke the silence that had fallen over them.

“After I decided to stay, she wanted to know that I still loved her,” she said. “And I did still love her, but we hadn't been intimate in a long time—not with all the fights we kept getting into—so I... I told her I wasn't ready to do that with her again. I wanted to wait until we were in a better place.”

She fell silent again, and Waverly slid her hand down to give Nicole's a comforting squeeze.

“She told me if I didn't love her, I didn't have to stick around and pretend like I did. I should just leave like everyone else. And no matter how hard I tried to explain myself, she refused to listen. So, I don't know.” Nicole shrugged. “I guess I finally gave in and proved it the way she wanted me to.”

The anger Waverly had struggled to keep in check bubbled to the surface, boiling to the point where she could no longer contain it.

“That... that fucking _asshole_! Who does she think she is?”

“Waverly?”

“She had no right to ask that of you, Nicole,” she said. “God, she may not be a Revenant and maybe I can't use Peacemaker, but I am going to find a way to send that bitch straight to hell.”

“Waves, it's fine,” Nicole said. “I'm okay now.”

“Yeah, _now_ you're okay, but I highly doubt you were okay then, and you certainly weren't okay that first night we ran into her. Or this past week in general.” Waverly crawled in front of her and placed her hands on her knees. “Nicole, what she did wasn't right. She shouldn't have expected that from you, especially not after how she treated you, and you deserve so much better than that... that... asshole!”

Nicole tilted her head. “I'm dating you, aren't I?”

Waverly's jaw dropped slightly, and Nicole laughed at the surprise that must have shown on her face. She scowled, and shook her head.

“You're sweet, but don't change the subject yet. I'm not done being angry at your asshole ex.”

“Okay,” Nicole said, but that damn smile was still on her face and it had been so long since Waverly had seen it, she found it hard to stay angry.

“The point is,” she said, “I don't think any less of you. You're still the same charming goofball I fell in love with and nothing you've told me has changed that.”

Nicole's eyes softened and she ducked her head, but not before Waverly saw the bashful smile on her face. When she looked up again, the shy smile remained and hope glimmered in her soft brown eyes.

Her brow furrowed as she asked, “What is it?”

“You love me?”

Upon hearing the question, realization dawned on Waverly.

That night at the police station, when Willa had held her at gunpoint, Nicole hadn't heard Waverly tell Wynonna she loved her. All she heard was that they were only 'kind of' dating. And then the possession had happened. And then Waverly, being Waverly, had never said those words again. Which meant Nicole had spent the last few months not actually knowing how...

God, she was _such_ an idiot.

“Yes, Nicole Haught.” She leaned forward and placed a kiss on Nicole's forehead. “I. Love. You.” She punctuated each word with another kiss. To Nicole's cheek, to the tip of her nose, and finally to her lips. She pulled back slightly, but she was close enough that she could feel Nicole's shaky breath against her skin. “I'm sorry I'm so terrible at saying it, but I do love you.”

“I love you, too,” she said.

“I know you do, dork,” Waverly said. Then, in a softer voice, she added, “I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you. It's not the easiest thing for me to say. But I kind of like the way it sounds when I say it to you.”

Nicole smiled again. “How 'bout I say it enough for the both of us until you're comfortable?”

“Deal.”

The barn door creaked open, startling the both of them. Wynonna stood in the doorway, the sunlight shining at her back.

“Hey, are you two okay in here? I thought you were just getting some—” Her gaze drifted to Waverly and Nicole on the floor and she promptly covered her eyes with her hand. “Shit! Damn! Sorry! Was this a moment? Did I interrupt?”

“You're okay, Wynonna,” Nicole said. “We were just talking.”

“If you say so,” Wynonna said, and slowly lowered her hand from her eyes. “Was just worried there was another asshole hanging out here and thought they might have gotten the jump on you two.”

Waverly shook her head. “No, they're all gone. We're safe.”

“Okay, good, 'cause uh... we could use all the brain power we can get to figure out how to smash this stupid pocket watch for good,” Wynonna said. “The boys and I are starting to get a headache, so it's your turn to put your heads together. See what you can shake out.”

Waverly glanced back at Nicole, who still looked exhausted, but at least the haunted expression that had been lurking in her eyes lately was finally gone. And maybe there was more they had to talk about, but Waverly was satisfied with the steps they had taken. The rest could wait until later, when they were well-rested and their emotions weren't raw.

She turned back to Wynonna and nodded.

“Alright,” Wynonna said. “Let's figure out how to stop an apocalypse.”

* * *

In the middle of the trailer park, on the hood of a dented, rusted truck, stood Jimmy Jackson. On either side of him were the four men who had been at his side since his days running from Wyatt Earp. Around the truck, Revenants and mortals alike had gathered, beer bottles in hand and anticipation gleaming in their eyes as they waited.

“Friends,” he called out, “for too long, we've been trapped in this triangle. And Bobo, he promised us freedom. He promised us all a way out. And what do we have to show for his promises?”

“Nothing,” they shouted back.

“That's right. Nothing. After all the trouble we went through for him—the digging, the cold, his constant threats—he let that Earp bitch stop him,” he said. “Well she tried to stop us, but we showed her what we were capable of, didn't we?” A chorus of shouts erupted from the crowd. He pulled the pocket watch from his jacket and held it up by its long, silver chain for everyone to see. “We got what we needed and there's nothing Wynonna can do to stop us.”

Another chorus of cheers was joined by several whistles.

He hopped down from the hood of the truck and the crowd parted around him.

“We are all outcasts for one reason or another, my friends,” he said. “It was the curse placed on us Revenants but you, our mortal brothers and sisters, were shunned by a people who don't understand you. Who labeled you losers and freaks.” Murmurs of agreement came from the crowd, and Jimmy smiled. He held up the watch again, the sunlight glinting off the silver casing. “With this, we'll show the world what a few freaks are capable of, starting with Purgatory!”

Revenants and humans lifted their beer bottles as Jimmy walked among them. When he approached the center of the crowd, he opened the pocket watch and let it sway from side to side. After it had a steady pace, he began to mutter the incantation the Stone Witch had whispered to him so many years ago. He repeated it three times, slowly stepping back with each repetition, and once the last had been spoken, the earth beneath their feet rumbled.

The watch continued to sway as the ground split.

A piercing shriek came from the pit and human and demon alike covered their ears to muffle the shrill sound, but some were brought to their knees. Jimmy stood his ground, gritting his teeth as he watched the first dark head emerge from the earth. It was darker than the pit itself, a shadow crawling its way out with fearsome cries. The only source of color was the bright red mane flowing down its large neck and the white lines—scars, Jimmy realized—etched across its large body.

When its full form had broken free from the pit, it towered over the tallest of those who had gathered, and its dark eyes held Jimmy's gaze. Behind it, another figure had begun to emerge.

Its whinnies weren't nearly as harsh as the one before it, but a foul stench emanated from its grey body. Chunks of flesh hung from its bones and its eyes were a pasty white, its black mane limp. Flies swarmed the rotting corpse as it joined its companion's side and pawed at the ground.

The next to emerge, although just as enormous as the first two, was thin and appeared too brittle to touch. The little flesh it had clung to its bones. Its cheeks were gaunt and eyes hollow. As it climbed out of the pit, the bones of its ribcage could be seen pressing against its dull yellow coat. The emaciated figure stepped forward, sharp teeth snapping at the air.

The last to climb from the dark depths of the pit was bright white. Light blue eyes shined from the darkness as it crawled its way out. As it clambered onto the solid earth with shaky legs, its mane shimmered in the sunlight, a sheet of fluid gold over its thick neck. The dirt and dust slid away from its hooves as it stepped forward to join its companions.

Compared to the three other horses, it was small—the size of a normal horse rather than a hulking beast that dwarfed Revenants and mortals alike. The air around it was still and quiet. As it caught Jimmy's gaze, his breath hitched, the air stolen from his lungs. His grip around the chain tightened until, finally, he could breathe again.

Once Jimmy caught the breath that had been stolen from him, he cautiously approached the horses. Three of his old friends joined him, each with their palms upward to show they meant no harm. The people who had gathered watched, beer bottles forgotten, as the four of them neared the massive beasts. Yet it was the smallest of the four horses who stepped forward to meet Jimmy, blue eyes shining as Jimmy held out the watch. It nudged the watch and flared its nostrils.

A piercing whinny came from the dark horse as its eyes rolled in their sockets. It stomped the ground and the two remaining horses reared on their hind legs. Jimmy stumbled back, his eyes wide.

“You don't understand,” he said. “I _freed_ you. You're supposed to be mine!”

“You...”

“Are...”

“Not...”

“Worthy...”

The damning words seemed to come from all of the horses at once. Jimmy's jaw dropped, but they paid him no mind as they turned away. The crowd parted as the horses stepped through the mass of people. Jimmy scrambled after them.

“No! No, after everything I went through, you're mine!”

The white horse stopped and looked back at Jimmy. Again, the breath was stolen from his chest, but this time, it was not given back so freely. He clawed at his neck as he struggled to breathe. When the pale horse turned away again, he fell to his knees, gasping as he took desperate breaths, gulping down the air. By the time he staggered back to his feet, the three larger horses had broken away from the crowd in a gallop while the smaller white horse trotted after them.

The crowd that had gathered now murmured around him, and Jimmy turned on them, his eyes red.

“Shut up, all of you! I'll take care of this,” he said. He scowled and turned to his friends. “Get the bikes. We'll get them to see we're worthy.” The four men glanced at one another but didn't move. Jimmy growled. “I said get the bikes!”

One of the men puffed out his chest. “Why should we?”

“What?”

“You heard him,” another chimed in. “Why should we go after 'em for you?”

“Why should—They are our tickets out of here! They can break the line!”

“Only if you get one to accept you as a rider,” one said, and another chorus of murmurs came from the crowd. “From what we saw, that ain't happenin' any time soon, Jimmy, so why should we stick our necks out for ya again?”

“Yeah, and you know Wynonna'll be out there, tryin' to save those idiots in town.” He shook his head and stepped back. “No, I don't think so this time, Jimmy. You want one of those horses so badly? Go get 'em yourself. I already been killed once this week by that Doc Holliday. Ain't lookin' to make it permanent any time soon.”

Jimmy snarled. “Cowards. You're all cowards!”

“We're cowards?" someone in the crowd shouted. "I didn't see you at the homestead."

“And you weren't there in the city, when Wynonna and Dolls took down Jake and Al,” one of the Revenants yelled. “At least Bobo was willing to do his own dirty work!”

A half-full beer bottle flew from the crowd, smacking Jimmy in the chest and spilling down his torso. Another was tossed at his feet and shattered over his boots. Rough hands were on his shoulders a moment later, shoving his forward.

“That's right, Jimmy. Bobo wasn't perfect, but he wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty,” one of his old companions said. “How 'bout you try it for once?”

Jimmy gritted his teeth as he stumbled away from the crowd.

“Fine,” he said, “but _when_ I get one of them to bow to me, it will be me and me alone who crosses the line!”

“If Wynonna doesn't kill you first.”

“She won't,” he growled. He turned on his heel and headed for his trailer. As he approached the bike parked near the trailer, he clenched his fist around the chain of the pocket watch. “I'm not Bobo. I won't let her put me down like some dog.”

* * *

Wynonna sipped from the last cold bottle of beer as she watched Waverly and Nicole at the kitchen table. After Nicole and Wynonna had explained what the pocket watch could be used for, the two of them had put their heads together and were now caught up in a quiet conversation about what options they had. Their clasped hands rested on the table and as they spoke, Nicole's thumb would rub over the back of Waverly's hand or Waverly would give Nicole's a gentle squeeze. Wynonna doubted they realized what they were doing. She had to take another sip from the bottle to hide her amused smile.

It was nice to see them together again.

Even as they discussed how to prevent the apocalypse, Waverly seemed happier than she had all week. While Wynonna hadn't been home to watch her flit around the house to avoid thinking about Nicole, she had been on the receiving end of several text messages that had been a far cry from the bright ones Waverly usually sent her to keep her occupied on stakeouts.

Now a soft smile was on her baby sister's face and Nicole kept stealing glances at Waverly as they discussed the possible ways to neutralize the watch. Wynonna would have rolled her eyes, but after what she had seen at the bar, she was willing to give Nicole a break from the teasing for at least one day. There would be plenty of time for teasing later, after they put a stop to Jimmy's plans.

“What about Peacemaker?” Nicole asked, her gaze flickering to the gun on Wynonna's hip. “It works on the Revenants. Do you think it could take down demon horses if it came to that?”

Waverly frowned. “It's tied to the curse. Who knows how it would work against the horses of the apocalypse. They're demonic, but they aren't really part of the Earp curse.”

“Sure had no problem killing Daddy and he wasn't a Revenant.”

“Not helping,” Waverly said, and Wynonna shrugged before she took another swig of her beer. “No, I think the watch is what we need to focus on.”

“Let me get right on that,” Wynonna said. When she saw the annoyed expression on Waverly's face, she threw her head back and groaned. “Look, I get it. The watch and the horses are tied together the way Peacemaker is tied to our family and the Revenants. It's important. So what if we just destroy the watch?”

“I'd suspect a few different possibilities,” Dolls said from the doorway, and Wynonna jumped at the unexpected sound of his voice. “It could send them back to hell, or it could destroy the only thing that controls them.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you said the Stone Witch told you the horses need to bond with riders in order to stay up here, right?” Wynonna nodded. “So what happens if they don't bond with someone in time?”

Waverly's eyes widened. “That's why the watch was chosen! I thought maybe it was just symbolic, but it keeps track of how much time they have left up here!”

“So if we just stop them from finding a rider until time runs out,” Nicole started.

Wynonna finished for her and said, “They go back to hell.”

“Exactly!”

“Awesome,” Wynonna said, though her voice was far from excited, “but don't they bond with whoever frees them or some shit?”

Nicole shook her head. “No, the witch said they would wander until they found someone worthy or until their time was up. If the ones who summon them are always worthy, they wouldn't have much wandering to do.”

“Great. So either they bond with the Revenants and we have to find a way to put them down, or they search for someone else to bond with, and we have to find a way to stop them until their time runs out, however long that may be.” Wynonna shook her head and brought the beer bottle to her lips to finish the last of it. “Sounds like a piece of cake, I guess.”

“That's the spirit, Earp.”

Wynonna's phone rang on the counter near the sink and the shrill sound startled everyone in the room. She cursed under her breath and shoved away from the counter she had been leaning against. Glass crunched beneath her boots as she traversed the trashed kitchen to the sink where her phone still rested. She swiped to answer and turned on the speaker when she saw Nedley's name on the screen.

“What?”

A loud, unintelligible yell was the response. She could hear muffled gunshots over the line.

“Chrissy, keep behind me,” was the first thing she heard Nedley say, followed by, “Wynonna?”

“I'm here, Nedley. What the hell is going on over there?”

A crashing sound was followed by a muffled shriek and a loud curse from Nedley before he spoke again.

“Hell seems like a pretty good description for what's goin' on over here,” he grumbled. “Listen, I don't know how to explain what's happening without wanting to check myself into that hospital you were carted off to, but I have a feeling it's right up Black Badge's alley.” Another crash, followed by a piercing cry that made Wynonna's ears ring. She winced at the sound and held the phone further away. “Son of a bitch,” Nedley muttered. “Just get over here, Wynonna. We'll try to keep as many people safe as we can.”

The line went dead and Wynonna sighed. “So it sounds like the apocalypse riding party was a success.”

Waverly and Nicole stood from the table. Dolls had already disappeared into the living room and Wynonna followed. Doc, Isaiah, and Jesse had been standing watch over the bikers they had taken captive, but as Dolls explained the situation, a familiar gleam appeared in Doc's eyes.

“So we have a plan then?”

“Not exactly, but that's what makes it more exciting.”

“No it doesn't,” Dolls argued.

Wynonna rolled her eyes. “Fine. Here's the plan: Stop the horses from finding someone to bond with. If that fails, find Jimmy and that damn pocket watch and I'll try to take a crack at both of them with Peacemaker. But most importantly, get those jackasses in Purgatory to safety in case shit goes sideways.”

“You got it, Wynonna,” Nicole said from Waverly's side. She tilted her head. “You're getting better at this planning thing.”

“Been spending too much time with Dolls, I guess,” she said, which earned her a glare.

Jesse and Isaiah shared a look before Isaiah stepped forward and said, “We're coming with you.”

Before Wynonna could object, Jesse chimed in, “Maybe we can't take down a Revenant, but we can get people to safety. The more people you have, the quicker we can help the people in Purgatory. And Wynonna, we want to help.”

“Oh my god, fine,” she said, throwing up her hands, “but neither one of you are allowed to get yourselves killed, got it? I'm not going to have that on my conscience.” She turned to face Dolls, Doc, Nicole, and Waverly. “Actually, that goes for all of you. I swear if I lose one of you to some god damn demon horse, I will hunt you down in the after life and bitch at you for eternity.”

She didn't wait for a response. Instead, she muttered to herself as she shoved past Isaiah and Jesse.

“Fucking devil horses. As if regular horses aren't demonic enough,” she said as she walked through what remained of the front door.

* * *

Screams filled the air and Pestilence's ears twitched at the sound. As it stepped through the town, decay followed. The weeds in the sidewalk cracks browned. The food that filled the market rotted away. And the puny humans who came too close as they fled from Pestilence's companions, fell to the ground and choked on the rot that had gripped their bodies. Yet as they fell in the street, Pestilence felt it.

The pull.

As Pestilence stalked through town, it was easy to see where War had been. Destruction had followed its path. Cars had been trampled by War's heavy hooves and fires had been left behind by the bright red mane. Some of the flames now licked at the edges of the buildings that people had taken refuge in. Others who had fallen under War's influence could be seen on the sidewalks throwing insults and punches at one another.

Pestilence ignored them and followed the pull through the streets of town.

Famine had gone after those who hadn't been put under War's sway, teeth gnashing at the flesh of those too slow to escape and tearing chunks away. Eyes rolled in Famine's head as it devoured whatever it could sink its teeth into.

Still, Pestilence continued on, following the pull.

It stopped at the opening to an alley and turned its large head.

Hidden behind a dumpster, it could see the unruly blonde hair of a human. It could smell the fear rolling off the human in waves, but there was something else there as well. The pull that had drawn Pestilence away from its companions.

Pestilence flared its nostrils and snorted before it took long steps towards the mouth of the alley. It could hear the thudding of the human's heartbeat quicken as it approached, but knew it could not move. Not once the pull had been acknowledged. And oh, Pestilence could understand why the pull had come from this human—could feel the rot waiting to seep out and destroy all it touched. It was a rot unlike any Pestilence had felt before.

Pestilence finally stepped close enough to the human that it could see bright blue eyes meeting its own milky white ones, completing the connection it needed to start the trance.

Pestilence showed the human the promise of power it could give. Showed just what they could do together if they joined. And in those bright depths, Pestilence could see fear, but it also saw the desire lurking behind them.

The desire for power that humans fell to time and time again.

“You are worthy,” Pestilence rasped. “Do you accept the bond, Joanna Williams?”

And Pestilence waited patiently for the answer it knew Joanna would give.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so that was chapter five. Hopefully you all enjoyed it. Only one more chapter left, followed by a quick epilogue!
> 
> Title is taken from the song 'Walls Can Fall' by George Jones.


	6. Bad Moon Rising

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -shows up a whole month late with Pokemon Sun in hand-
> 
> Hey, sorry it took so long to update, but here it is everybody. The last chapter of the story! Huge thank you to iamthegaysmurf for listening to me babble constantly about things and for reading over sections for me. This one pretty much wraps everything up. Hope you all enjoy it!

Buildings blazed along the streets courtesy of War as Pestilence and its new rider walked through the town. Beside them, people succumbed to a new sickness—one twisting and invasive, planted by a single seed—and they fell to their knees in the street, tears staining their cheeks as their darkest thoughts and insecurities came forward, eating at them from the inside. It was a strange disease. It produced a suffering in people that Pestilence had not seen before that ate away at the mind rather than the body until the light dimmed in their eyes and left them empty shells.

Pestilence knew it had chosen wisely, for it thrived off of their suffering.

As its slow gait took them through the streets, Pestilence's companions continued their assault on the citizens still scrambling for safety. They had yet to feel the tug of a worthy rider and they would soon move on to continue the search, but for now, they would indulge in the chaos they caused.

Death had finally arrived in the small town, trailing along behind them and bringing dusk along with it. It took the breath from those War, Famine, and Pestilence had attacked and left to suffer in the streets. Once lifeless eyes stared up at the sky, Death moved on to the next victim who had been left behind. In some instances, someone would be clinging to the afflicted and would scream when Death approached, and while it would not touch them, it would cause a different kind of pain as it took the person they held.

It had just taken another when Pestilence and its new rider approached. Death looked upon the rider that Pestilence had chosen, then continued on its way to the next person, unimpressed. Pestilence gnashed its teeth at the smaller horse as it walked by, but something caught its rider's attention, and it turned its head towards the long road that led into Purgatory.

* * *

A convoy of mismatched vehicles sped down the road into town. Wynonna was the first in line, thundering along on the sleek Screamin' Eagle Curtis had left for her. Waverly and Nicole rumbled behind her in Waverly's Jeep, while Dolls, Doc, Isaiah, and Jesse had piled into the SUV—the only vehicle big enough to comfortably hold all of them.

The flames that blazed in the town were bright even through the dark visor of Wynonna's helmet. There was something else, however, that grabbed her attention, and she wasn't sure if the flames and smoke were playing tricks on her mind. The beast beneath her slowed to a stop and she flipped up the visor. She squinted her eyes against the darkness as the Jeep rolled up beside her.

Nicole leaned out the window of the passenger seat. “What's up, Wynonna?”

Wynonna shook her head. “Nothing. Just... making sure I'm not seeing things. Look.” She pointed towards the town, where even from such a far distance, she could see the large, dark figure of a horse that was closer to the size of a moose. Fire blazed from its neck and hindquarters, dripping onto the street. It charged at a parked car, which skidded across the road from the force of the blow and sent up a shower of sparks. Wynonna winced. She really hoped the car was empty. She turned her attention back to the Jeep. “Any plans come to mind, Baby Girl?”

Waverly bit her lip and her grip on the steering wheel tightened. “Not yet,” she said. “It doesn't look like they've bonded with anyone, so we don't have to worry about that. I guess those Revenant boys weren't as great as they thought.”

“At least there's that.”

She heard a door shut behind her and it wasn't long before Dolls was at her side, a grim expression on his face. She pulled the helmet off and hung it on one of the handlebars.

“Ever deal with anything like this back in Qandahar?”

“No, Earp. Can't say I did,” he said, “but I do know we've gotta get those horses out of town. That's the only way to cut down on more civilian losses.”

“Great.” She ran her hand through her hair and groaned. “Why couldn't they be the four puppies of the apocalypse? Puppies can be menacing. Just look at Nicole.”

“Hey!”

Wynonna shook her head and returned her attention to Dolls, who was patiently watching her. “Alright, well, any ideas on how to get them out of there, smart guy?”

“Just one.” He dug through the pocket of his tan leather jacket and pulled out a glass vial filled with a bright lavender liquid.

Her eyes flickered to the vial then back to his eyes. “Dolls...”

“Drastic times call for drastic measures, and I think this is as drastic as they come.”

Wynonna studied him for a moment. Even though he never said it aloud, she had a feeling he didn't much care for this part of himself. The part he had kept hidden from her for so long. But he was right. Drastic times had arrived, and if he was willing to shift to protect the assholes of Purgatory, she wouldn't argue with him. She sighed and said, “Fine, but don't get all mopey after. You're no fun when you're like that.”

“I'm never fun,” Dolls said, but a smile flashed across his face. “Henry's got the blue vial. If this doesn't wear off soon enough afterward, at least you'll all have a backup plan.”

“Alright, but you're not chasing them down alone,” she said. He looked like he was about to argue, so she cut him off. “What kind of goddamn deputy would I be if I didn't help you herd the horses from hell? I'm chasing them with you, and you don't get to say no.”

She grabbed her helmet and was about to shove it down over her head again when Dolls interrupted her.

“Hold up,” he said, and she paused. A moment later, he leaned forward and captured her lips in a kiss. It caught her by surprise, but she quickly regained her senses and deepened the kiss before he could pull away. When they parted, he gave her a soft smile. “Demon horses or not, you got this, Earp.”

“Sap,” Wynonna said, but she returned the smile before she shoved the helmet over her head again. She looked over at Waverly and Nicole in the Jeep and said, “You two take Doc, Isaiah, and Jesse. Wrangle as many people as you can and get them to safety. Meet up with Nedley and the other officers if you can. Help them out.” She looked back at Dolls and grinned behind her helmet. “You just try to keep up.”

She winked then lowered the visor, leaned forward, and sped down the road once more, leaving Dolls and the others to follow after her as she barreled toward danger yet again.

She had expected it to be louder—more screaming, at least—but the town was eerily quiet and empty, aside from the fires. The rumble of the bike beneath her was the only sound that rang in Wynonna's ears as she rode past the overturned car she had watched the horse barrel into earlier. She was relieved to see that no one was inside, though the dark horse that had left it there had apparently fled the scene to cause destruction elsewhere.

“Well, if anyone can manage to lose a giant horse in a small town, it's you, Wynonna,” she muttered to herself.

A piercing whinny split the eery silence a moment later, and Wynonna winced before she sharply turned the bike in the street to follow the sound. She wasn't surprised to see Dolls a few steps behind her, his legs pumping beneath him with ease. Despite what he thought, Wynonna liked him this way. Maybe he considered it a sickness—a blight on his humanity or something along those lines—but she could see the freedom that came with this part of him, no longer suppressed by whatever Black Badge had concocted for him.

Her thoughts faltered when she saw the figure of a horse galloping along the street, chasing down the stray citizens of Purgatory who had been forced from cover by the fires consuming the buildings. It wasn't the dark horse she had seen ram the car earlier, but despite its emaciated frame, it appeared just as dangerous. It lunged at those who were too slow and Wynonna winced as she watched it sink sharp teeth into one man who had fallen behind.

She sped towards it, only slowing down to draw Peacemaker from her hip as she approached. She cracked off a shot at the bony figure and the bullet punched through the stretched flesh of the horse's neck, leaving only a hole where it had entered. No beams of light streamed from its body, but in the firelight, Wynonna saw a dark sludge ooze from the wound. It seemed Waverly had been right about the Earp curse and the demon horses being two different entities, which meant Wynonna couldn't send them back to hell with Peacemaker the way she would a Revenant.

However, the bullet that punched through the horse's neck did distract it from the writhing man dangling from its jaws. It dropped the man, who landed on the street with a thud, and swung its gaunt face towards Wynonna. The man clambered to his feet and ran from the distracted horse that now had Wynonna in its sights.

She slowed the bike to a stop but let the engine idle, occasionally revving it. The sound drew the horse closer. It ambled towards her, teeth bared and curiosity gleaming in its eyes. As it approached, Wynonna could see the dark red stains splattered along its grey muzzle, and she wondered just how many Purgatory citizens it had managed to sink its teeth into before they had shown up.

It came to a stop in the middle of the street and its gaze shifted to something behind her. She looked over her shoulder, but Dolls was the only one she saw.

He didn't seem to see her.

His golden eyes were locked on the bulging ones of the horse, whose thin tail twitched. Dolls's chest rose and fell in a slow rhythm despite the quick pace he had kept to remain close to her and a blank expression had fallen over his face.

“Dolls?”

* * *

Nicole and Waverly crept through the eerily quiet Purgatory streets while Doc, Isaiah, and Jesse trailed behind them. Nicole tried to avoid looking at the carnage the horses had brought to the town, but despite her best efforts, her gaze drifted and she shuddered at the sights that greeted her. People who had become her friends over the past year now lay in the street, blankly staring back at her with unseeing eyes. Some of them had whole chunks missing from different sections of their bodies while others had skin that had taken on a sickly pallor.

Nicole took a steadying breath and focused her attention on Waverly's rigid back.

Her heart ached for the loss she knew her girlfriend was experiencing as they trudged through the streets. People she had known all her life had been snuffed out of existence, and even though the failure to protect them weighed heavily on Nicole's shoulders, it couldn't touch the grief she had seen in Waverly's eyes when they came across the first body on the sidewalk.

Nicole had known him as Jarrod, the kind man who helped run the bakery alongside his wife Susie, but Waverly had _known_ him. She had grown up alongside him in the small town and now he was gone. It seemed to be a pattern in Waverly's life, and Nicole marveled at how she could go through those losses time and time again without letting despair drag her down.

At the corner of the small supermarket, Waverly came to a halt and threw up her hand. Nicole stopped at her side, her hand drifting to the weapon holstered on her hip. Doc bumped into her in the darkness, but Isaiah and Jesse managed to catch themselves before colliding with them.

Jesse's voice was a soft whisper as they asked, “What's wrong?”

Their answer was the sound of angry shouts drifting from the next street over. Nicole placed her hand on Waverly's shoulder and leaned forward to look around the corner, making sure Waverly was tucked safely against her torso as she moved.

In the middle of the dark street, a large group of people had formed a mob and Nicole couldn't figure out why they hadn't tried to hide. Then she saw Pete stumble out of the surging crowd and his brother Kyle emerged a moment later.

“You're such a shit, Petey!” Kyle drew back his fist and threw a punch. It collided with Pete's jaw and he staggered sideways from the force of the blow. “Mom and Dad gave you everything, and you still act like the world owes you something.”

Pete shoved him back. “And you don't? God, you call me a shit, but I've never met someone who whines as much as you do.”

“Big words comin' from a guy who spent a month scribbling emo poetry in his diary after getting dumped by Wynonna.”

“It was a journal, asshole!” Pete said before he launched himself at his brother and tackled him to the ground. He pinned him against the street with one hand and slammed his fist against his face.

Nicole ducked back around the corner and the worry she felt was reflected in the expression on Waverly's face. “They're gonna tear each other apart out there if this goes on much longer.”

“One of the horses must have done something to them. My bet's on War,” Waverly said. “Listen, if we can break that mob up, we'll at least stop them from beating the crap out of one another long enough to get them to safety. Maybe the effects will wear off.” She turned to Isaiah and Jesse. “I know you two said you wanted to help, but—”

“We're helping,” Isaiah said. “My family spent too long letting the heirs handle the Revenants on their own.”

Jesse smiled and said, “Besides, Isaiah can hold his own in a brawl.”

“Well what are we waiting around for? Let's get in there and knock a few heads.”

Waverly frowned. “Doc.”

“What?”

Waverly shook her head. “Never mind. Let's go.”

Doc, Isaiah, and Jesse disappeared around the corner, but Nicole reached out for Waverly's hand before she could follow.

Once again they were barreling into a perilous situation and there was so much Nicole needed to say after a week of hiding herself away from everyone, but all she was able to muster was, “Please be careful.”

A confident smile spread across Waverly's face and she placed the palm of her free hand over Nicole's. “I'll be fine. After all, I've got you watching my back.” She pulled Nicole into a kiss that she willingly melted into. Nicole threaded her fingers through Waverly's hair and Waverly, for her part, leaned into the touch. When they broke apart, there was a familiar glimmer in Waverly's eyes as she smiled up at her. “For luck.”

Nicole returned the smile and when Waverly stepped around the corner into the chaos of the next street over, she followed.

* * *

 

“Xavier Dolls.”

The voice echoed in his head. He could hear Wynonna speaking to him, but her voice was muffled. He tried to decipher what she was saying, but the attempt caused a pounding in his head. The only thing that soothed it was focusing on the horse that had resumed its slow approach.

“Xavier Dolls,” the voice said again, “you are worthy.”

The sound sent a shiver down his spine.

“Do you accept the bond?”

Something tugged at his arm, but he couldn't pull his gaze away from the eyes bulging from the horse's gaunt, grey face. The offer bounced around his head. As the grey horse stepped closer, he could feel the power emanating from the bony figure.

“I know you want to accept,” it said. “For so long, you've hungered for freedom, yet you've buried the best parts of yourself. But with me, you can be free. Every part of you can be free.”

A crack split the air, followed by a pained shriek, and Dolls stumbled out of the trance he had been trapped in. Wynonna stood beside him, Peacemaker smoking in her hand, and a bullet had punched a hole in the horse's head, causing it to lose focus and stagger backwards. Despite the blow, however, it was already regaining its footing. Wynonna placed herself between Dolls and the grey horse.

“I need you to listen to me, Dolls,” she said. “Whatever it tells you, don't listen. Do not accept that thing's offer, do you hear me?”

“Wynonna?”

She placed the palms of her hands against his cheeks and the intensity of her gaze shook him to his core.

“Do. Not. Listen,” she said. “I'll be right here, but I need you to focus on the sound of my voice because I will not lose you to that _thing_. You got me, Dolls?”

He had just enough time to nod before the voice echoed in his head again.

“Xavier Dolls,” it bellowed, “do you accept the bond and the freedom that comes with it?”

And it was tempting. The part of himself that he had spent a lifetime suppressing ached for the freedom the demon promised. It could be free to do as it pleased without the fear of being shoved back into a dark corner of his consciousness.

“Dolls!” Wynonna's voice penetrated the fog clouding his thoughts. He could feel her hands on his shoulders, her grip firm and steadying. “I know you think what that thing is offering is freedom, but it's not,” she said. Behind her, the horse continued its approach, anger gleaming in its eyes. Wynonna must have heard it coming—it was hard for him to ignore the clack of its heavy feet against the pavement—but her gaze never wavered from his as she said, “I get it. You've kept this part of yourself buried because you were told it made you a monster, but that's not what you are—”

The grey horse whinnied, the sound sharp and painful against his ears with the creature so close, and Wynonna muttered a curse but continued speaking to him even as the horse stepped closer.

“Please listen to me. I know I may not be the smartest person you've ever worked with, but even I know this is only one side of you, and it doesn't make you a monster. The freedom that thing is offering you? You can have it, but on your own terms.”

“Wynonna...”

“Yeah,” she said. “I'm still here.”

“Move.”

With all the willpower he could muster, he lifted his hands from his sides and shoved Wynonna out of the way just as the grey horse lowered its monstrous head. She stumbled sideways and fell to the pavement before it could plunge its teeth into her shoulder.

“I don't accept the bond,” he said in a low growl.

The heaviness that had attached to his limbs melted away and Dolls lunged forward. Snapping teeth tried to catch him, but he sidestepped away from them until he was at the horse's side. He jumped, managed to grab a fistful of the horse's thin mane, and used it to pull himself onto the creature's back. He held tight as the horse bucked beneath him.

“Earp, get on your bike. The sound had its attention earlier,” he said through gritted teeth as he struggled to stay astride the horse.

Wynonna clambered to her feet and quickly mounted the motorcycle. When she revved its engine, the horse shrieked at the sound and reared back. Dolls dug his fingers into its neck so he wouldn't slide off. A moment later, the beast beneath him sprang forward, chasing Wynonna and the motorcycle down the road that led away from Purgatory.

To his surprise, they didn't stay on the road.

Wynonna veered to the right, taking a sharp turn onto a worn trail Dolls hadn't been down before. Although he wondered what Wynonna had planned, he trusted her judgement and made sure the horse followed behind her. It tossed its head back when he tugged on its mane with bloody hands, but he kept his seat on the horse's back.

Behind him, Purgatory became nothing more than a speck as they galloped further down the trail. Ahead of him, he saw Wynonna on her bike spewing up dirt from the trail that cut through the rolling fields.

Dolls furrowed his brow when the horse beneath him started to gain ground on Wynonna and her bike. She was slowing down, and he couldn't figure out why.

The horse stretched its neck and snapped its teeth as it came upon the back tires of the bike, but Wynonna swerved in time to avoid its powerful jaws. It let out a frustrated shriek and tried again, turning its head to snap at her, but the bike suddenly slowed so the horse galloped past it.

Dolls saw the cliff in front of them.

Distracted by Wynonna, the horse did not.

As they hurtled toward the edge, Dolls heard Wynonna call his name, but he refused to jump off the horse. Instead, he leaned forward, and it tossed its head back in response, trying to nip at the annoyance on its back. He heard the sound of Wynonna's bike pulling up behind them as they approached the edge. He gritted his teeth and the moment he felt that first sensation of weightlessness—his guts seeming to leap into his chest—he released his hold on the thin strands of horsehair in his hands. Just as the horse dipped forwards, Dolls threw himself to the side.

He hit the ground with a thud and his momentum forced him to roll several feet. As he stared up at the darkening sky, he tried to catch the breath he had lost from the fall, but a sharp pain in his side threatened to steal it again. The rumble of Wynonna's bike cut off and he listened as her footsteps approached.

She crouched beside him and nudged his shoulder with her hand. “Why the hell did you stay on that thing for so long? You got a death wish you're not telling me about?”

Dolls shook his head. “Needed to make sure it kept going that way,” he said as he forced himself to sit up and meet her gaze. He winced at the pain in his side, but managed a smile for Wynonna a moment later. “Good thinking with the cliff.”

“Ah yeah. Ghost River Gorge. So many memories. So many bad decisions,” she mused. “Glad this didn't end up being one of the latter.”

“We'll make a strategist out of you yet.” She scoffed. “Hey, I'm serious,” he said, and bumped his fist against her knee, “that was a good plan.”

Wynonna rolled her eyes. “Alright, buddy. You must have bumped something when you hit the ground,” she said. “And is that horse sludge on your hands? What the hell is wrong with you?”

Despite her words, she helped him to his feet, though he threatened to stumble backwards a moment later. She placed a steadying hand on his shoulder.

“Come on, tough guy. That super cool supernatural part of you may mean you heal faster, but you'll feel better quicker if you ride shotgun instead of sprinting after me.”

She let him lean against her as they walked from the cliff back to the bike. He could already feel his wounds healing, but he was reluctant to pull away from her. When they reached the motorcycle, Wynonna left his side and pulled her helmet off the handlebars.

“Earp,” he said before she could put the helmet on. “About what you said back in town—”

“I meant every word of it,” she said as she swung her leg over the motorcycle. She studied him for a moment before she sat down. “You're a good person, Dolls. Despite what you think, this side of you,” she said, gesturing towards him, “doesn't change that.” She shoved the helmet over her head and lifted the visor. “Now are we going to get those other horses or what?”

Dolls shook his head and joined her on the bike. Once he wrapped his arms around her waist, the engine roared to life and they sped down the trail, kicking up dirt behind them as they headed back towards Purgatory.

* * *

Chaos.

With the assault on the homestead and now the crowd of people Waverly found herself fighting through, that one word had morphed into the theme for Waverly's day. She moved her head just in time to avoid an elbow to the face. Nicole was at her side and had just grabbed the wrist of one woman who had thrown a punch. Isaiah and Jesse were deeper in the crowd, both of them breathing hard as they fought to create a gap between the group of people. Doc had managed to get Pete and Kyle separated, though not before the two of them had punched each other bloody. They now lay on opposite sides of the street, both of them knocked unconscious—Pete by Kyle's fist and Kyle by the butt of Doc's gun.

A swell that rippled through the mob had Waverly stumbling backwards, but Nicole caught her by the arm before she could fall. Waverly frowned as she regained her footing, then shoved back against the man who had pushed her.

“In hindsight,” she said through ragged breaths, “maybe this wasn't the best plan.”

“It's... sort of working, I think,” Nicole said, her own breathing as heavy as Waverly's. “At least we're getting some distance between them?”

Waverly risked a glance out of the corner of her eye and saw the bloody corner of Nicole's lip, no doubt caused by a fist meant for someone else. A slow rivulet of red trickled from the corner of her right eyebrow as well. Waverly could feel the pain in her own left eye, already bruising from an elbow she hadn't been lucky enough to avoid.

Maybe they were keeping people separated, but it was wearing everyone down.

“Yeah, but at this rate, we're going to end up bruised and bloody pulps,” she said.

As if proving her point, another body crashed into her, sending her sprawling onto the pavement. Nicole helped her up before people in the crowd could trample over her, only to receive a staggering blow from a stray swing for her efforts.

Nicole winced and said, “Okay, I wouldn't mind a new plan.”

“We need to find that damn horse.”

“And do what exactly?”

“I don't know,” Waverly said, frustration coloring her voice. “Get it away from town?” She deflected another fist, then took Nicole's hand. “It has to be close. Maybe if we lead it away—” She cursed as someone's hand grabbed at her hair, but Nicole quickly grabbed the offending wrist and twisted, forcing it to release its hold. “Maybe if we lead it away, the effects will wear off and these people will calm down.”

Nicole's answer was to tighten her grip on Waverly's hand and help clear a path through the angry crowd. By the time they broke free, both of them had scratches across the bare patches of their skin and sweat stung the lacerations. Waverly frowned when she saw Isaiah and Jesse still in the middle of the crowd. Despite their success at keeping people separated, the two of them appeared to be tiring from their efforts.

She called their names and waved her arms, hoping to get their attention. A moment later, a gunshot rang through air, and Waverly was surprised to feel the instant shift in Nicole's position as she stepped in front of her.

“Apologies. You seemed to be struggling to reach them and it was the first thing I could think of to get their attention.”

Doc's familiar voice made Waverly peek around Nicole's side, and she saw Doc with his gun pointing skyward. Nicole breathed a sigh of relief against her.

Despite the scare the gunshot had caused, it did have the intended effect, and Isaiah and Jesse had turned their attention towards them. Waverly waved and beckoned for them to come over. The two of them shared a glance before they began to shoulder their way through the mob. Once they broke free, they joined Waverly, Nicole, and Doc, both of them looking as ragged as Waverly and Nicole.

“So, new plan, since this one obviously isn't working,” Waverly said.

Jesse breathed a sigh of relief and said, “I'm all ears.”

Waverly explained the plan to find War and lead the horse away from the town. Isaiah didn't seem confident in their chances of succeeding, but he didn't argue. It wasn't a great plan, Waverly knew that, but it was better than throwing themselves back into the fray. What they were supposed to do once they found War, she wasn't sure, but that was a problem she would solve once they found the horse.

With a new strategy in mind, the five of them left the mob behind. Guilt sat heavily on Waverly's shoulders as she walked away, but it had become obvious that there was nothing more they could do for them here.

Eventually the sounds of the angry crowd faded away as they walked further into town.

A chill crept into the air as night truly fell around them and despite the fires that blazed from the surrounding buildings, Waverly shivered as they stepped onto the dark street near the police station, though she wasn't sure if it was prompted by the cool nip in the air or the sight of the dark horse circling the street in front of the station. It wasn't alone either. Jimmy ran alongside it, shouting and grasping at the pitch black horse. It tossed its head in annoyance each time Jimmy's hand reached out for it.

“You're supposed to be mine,” he shouted at the horse. “You wouldn't be here without me!”

The horse whinnied and trotted away from him, but that didn't discourage him. Even the flames dripping from War's mane onto the street didn't dissuade him from trying to catch the elusive creature. But War was quick and managed to evade Jimmy's reaching hands each time. Its whinny sounded eerily like laughter when Jimmy dove forward and missed, landing in a heap in the middle of the street that War trotted circles around.

Then the horse stopped.

Its ears twitched and it swung its massive head around. When its dark eyes met hers, Waverly's breath caught in her throat and an all too familiar sensation fell over her as her limbs grew heavy. Despite the weight that pressed against her limbs, she managed to reach for the hand beside her.

“Nicole,” she whispered, barely able to squeeze the words out through the tightness in her throat as War walked towards them. She could feel something pricking at the edges of her consciousness, trying to invade her thoughts the same way that creature had months ago. She willed herself to squeeze Nicole's hand.

“Waverly?”

Nicole's voice sounded far away, but at least she could still hear it. Still, she couldn't look away from the dark eyes, so she did the only thing she could and tightened her grip on the hand in hers.

“I don't want this again.” Her voice was barely more than a croak to her own ears, but Nicole must have heard her because she moved in front of her and took Waverly's other hand as well. She tried to focus on Nicole's soft brown eyes as she said, “I don't want it.”

“Waverly, listen to me. You—”

“Waverly Earp.” The horse's voice rang in her head, and Nicole's words were lost. The powerful voice sent a shiver down her spine. “So much anger... In such a small mortal...”

It stepped closer and Waverly felt the assault against her psyche double its efforts. Memories of the time she had spent as a prisoner in her own body filled her head.

Shooting Wynonna.

Attacking Nicole.

She couldn't do that again.

“Why do you hesitate, little one... Why hide your anger when the world... deserves to see it burn... for all it has done to you...”

She _wouldn't_ do that again.

Another memory came to mind. Nicole holding her gaze with unwavering trust even as the creature within Waverly had her pinned against the wall of her apartment. Nicole had been enough to bring Waverly back again then, even if only for a moment.

She would be enough now.

Waverly took a shaky breath and focused on the woman in front of her.

“I love you,” she said before she shifted her eyes to those of the enormous horse that now towered over them.

The force that had been working against her intensified as War showed her all they could accomplish together. It showed her the Revenants crushed beneath them with Wynonna at her side, safe and unharmed. It showed her the carcass of the creature lurking outside the Triangle, slain by the power the horse could give her. It showed her Lucado cowering away from her, all the missiles in the world powerless to protect her from Waverly's wrath.

It promised her a future where she had the power to keep her town and the ones she loved safe. She would no longer be _just_ Waverly. She could be the hero she had always dreamed about. All she needed to do was speak the words the horse wanted to hear.

“You make a lot of promises.” The horse tossed its head as if it were agreeing with her and the flames from its mane dripped down to the street, fizzling out a moment later. “Well, you won't have to keep them,” she said, “because I don't accept the bond.”

Waverly took a deep breath as the heavy weight melted from her body. The fog in her head cleared and she felt a soft squeeze against her hands. She tore her eyes away from War's and met Nicole's concerned gaze.

“I don't accept the bond,” she said again, this time a whisper, and Nicole's face brightened as a wide smile spread across her face.

The moment was broken by a sharp whinny that made them stumble backwards. War pounded its hooves on the pavement and smoke drifted from its mouth and nostrils as it snorted.

“Foolish girl... Accept the bond!”

Laughter from the other side of the street made the horse whip its head around. Jimmy stood there, restrained by Isaiah and Jesse, each of them holding one of his arms. The horse loosed another angry snort, but Jimmy only shook his head.

“If that isn't the funniest thing I've ever seen in my hundred years of living, I don't know what is,” he said. He pulled against Isaiah's grasp and Waverly could see him struggling to hold the Revenant in place. “War, turned down by some wisp of a girl, barely older than a teenager.”

His eyes burned red and he managed to break free of Isaiah's hold. He shoved him backwards, sending his bulky frame skidding across the pavement. Jesse tried to grab the free hand, only to be shoved just as hard as Isaiah. Jesse collided with Isaiah as he struggled to his feet and they both fell back onto the street.

Jimmy stepped towards War. He lifted his hand and the pocket watch dangled from it, glimmering in the firelight of War's mane. “I was powerful enough to summon you,” he said, waving the watch in front of him. “I'm strong enough to join you, if you'll take me as your rider.”

Waverly felt Nicole's hand leave hers and she looked down to see her undo the clasp of her holster. She drew the gun from her hip and took a moment to meet Waverly's gaze. They both knew she couldn't kill Jimmy, but she could at least slow him down until Wynonna showed up. Waverly nodded and Nicole took aim. Waverly covered her ears and a moment later, the gunshot echoed and Jimmy yelled as the bullet pierced his raised forearm. The watch clattered against the pavement and he clasped his hand over the oozing wound.

He turned his gaze on Waverly and Nicole, a snarl on his face. “You two are going to regret that,” he said. He turned back to War. “Give me the bond! She doesn't want you!” Another shot rang out, piercing his chest, and he staggered backwards but didn't fall. “I'm immortal, you idiot. You couldn't ask for a more powerful partner.”

War stomped its hooves and a billow of smoke drifted from its nostrils.

“Fine,” it said, its voice a low rumble. “You, Jimmy Jackson, are worthy... Step forward and accept the bond.”

A twisted smile split Jimmy's face as he approached the horse. He raised his injured arm and when War lowered its head, he placed the palm of his hand against its muzzle. Flames from the horse's mane trickled along War's long face and spiraled around Jimmy's forearm. When he pulled his hand back, the flames disappeared, but when he flexed his hand into a fist and opened it again, they sprang back to life.

“This is it. _This_ is the power I was promised,” he said. He marveled at the flames dancing over his hand. “It was so worth it.”

“I wouldn't get used to it, buddy,” called a voice from the doors of the police station. Waverly leaned sideways to see around the demonic horse and smiled when she saw Wynonna in the doorway of the police station, Peacemaker in her hand and leveled straight at Jimmy's head. “That immortality of yours came with some powerful terms and conditions, and Flame Nuts here should have read the fine print.”

The markings around Peacemaker's barrel glowed a bright yellow and the brand on Jimmy's neck burned bright.

“No! No, you can't do this!”

Wynonna tilted her head. “Wish I could say I'm sorry, but...”

She shrugged before she squeezed the trigger.

The bullet pierced Jimmy's forehead and a bright beam of light appeared just before the ground beneath him opened into a fiery pit. Jimmy screamed as the earth pulled him under. Behind him, another pit had opened as well, and War screeched as it tried to scramble away, but the bond it had formed with Jimmy ensured it shared his fate.

When the light from the burning pits faded away, both the Revenant and the demon horse were gone.

Waverly breathed a sigh of relief when neither of them reappeared. She leaned against Nicole's side, the exhaustion from fighting off War finally seeping into her muscles. Nicole's steady arm wrapped around her waist and a comforting kiss was placed against the top of her head. Wynonna approached them, Peacemaker hanging at her hip once more, and Isaiah and Jesse were close behind.

“Thanks for the assist earlier, Haught Shot,” she said. “How'd you know that would change the horse's mind?”

Nicole shrugged. “Lucky guess.”

Waverly's brow furrowed. “Wait, what are you guys talking about?”

“The horse was kinda in your way, but I saw Wynonna in the doorway of the police station,” Nicole said. “She had plenty of chances to shoot Jimmy, but she never took them. I thought she had to be waiting for something. I took a guess, and it paid off.”

“I knew you finally picked a smart one, Waves.”

Waverly smiled. “That I did,” she said before she leaned up and placed a kiss against Nicole's jaw. There was still one question on her mind, though, and she returned her attention to Wynonna. “How'd you know shooting Jimmy would take War with him?”

Wynonna rubbed the back of her head. “Well, Dolls and I kind of ran into a different horse earlier and Dolls may have had a moment with it,” she said. “Anyway, we took care of it and came back here so Dolls could recuperate, but he mentioned something about the weird connection it tried to form with him.” Wynonna shrugged. “I just assumed it would work both ways.”

Doc cleared his throat behind them.

“Not to interrupt a tender moment of triumph, but I do believe we've got another friend approaching.”

He nodded towards the end of the street, where a bright, white horse ambled towards them. The light from the dying flames shimmered over its coat.

“'Behold a pale horse; and his name that sat on him was Death,'” Waverly said. She tilted her head to the side and studied the horse walking towards them. “Not quite what I was expecting after dealing with War.”

Wynonna shrugged. “Maybe he's a grower, not a shower.”

Nicole snorted. “Wynonna.”

“What?” Wynonna gestured towards the horse. “Compared to the jackasses we just had to deal with, that one's tiny.”

Isaiah crossed his arms over his chest. “Doesn't make it any less of a threat.”

Yet there was no urgency to the horse's slow steps, and Waverly thought that was far more unsettling than if it had been charging towards them. She stiffened against Nicole when the horse approached them, only half a head taller than Isaiah. Its bright blue eyes passed over them, but it made no move against them. Still, Waverly felt a cold chill creep up her spine when its eyes met hers for a moment.

Finally, its gaze landed on Doc and it stepped closer.

“John Henry Holliday... You are worthy.”

But Doc only laughed and shook his head. “Oh, I'd keep on lookin' if I were you.”

The horse's golden tail twitched as it studied him. “You fear death... Yet you decline power over it...”

“My apologies, but someone already beat you to it,” he said. “Though I am flattered someone around here has finally judged me as worthy of something.”

Wynonna rolled her eyes.

Death snorted and tossed its head, as if laughing along with him.

“Very well, John Henry Holliday...” it said. “But should you change your mind...”

“I know how to find you.”

It watched him a moment longer before it nudged its muzzle against Doc's hand. Then it slowly turned around and ambled away from them.

Waverly furrowed her brow.

“What?” Doc asked. “I never met a horse I didn't like.”

Wynonna scoffed. “Good. Then I guess you can send Pestilence back to hell all on your own, tough guy,” she said before heading back towards the police station.

“Oh, don't be cross, Wynonna,” Doc said as he followed her. “I haven't even done anything to warrant your anger.”

The two of them disappeared inside the police station, most likely to go check on Dolls. With Death ambling down the road away from them, Waverly relaxed against Nicole once more.

“Y'know, I think your sister's upset she didn't get picked by a horse,” Nicole mused.

“What?”

“I mean, you got picked by War, Dolls got Famine, and Death itself wanted Doc,” she explained. “I think she feels left out.”

“Hey, she's still got one last chance,” Waverly said as she pulled away. “She could always get picked by Pestilence.”

“Yeah, you're right. Maybe she's just mad you three got approached by the cool ones then.”

Waverly pondered that for a moment, then shrugged. “Wouldn't surprise me.”

She waited for Nicole to step beside her, then the two of them started towards the police station so they could check on Dolls as well and come up with a plan for Pestilence. When they passed by the spot in the street where Jimmy and War had stood, Waverly felt a tug on her hand as Nicole came to a stop.

“What's up?”

“Hold on,” Nicole said as she bent to pick something up off the street. When she straightened, the silver pocket watch dangled from her hand. She tucked it into the pocket of her jeans. “Maybe I can ask the Stone Witch about how to negate the spell once this is all over.”

Waverly narrowed her eyes. “And just why would you be hanging out with the Stone Witch?”

“Um... So I guess I forgot to tell you a few things about our visit with her.”

“Uh huh.”

* * *

 

Smoke and exhaustion made Nicole's eyes burn as she walked along the street with Waverly and Wynonna. Isaiah and Jesse had taken the Jeep and followed after Death to make sure it didn't get into trouble. Doc and Dolls had paired off to search the east side of town for surviving stragglers and the last horse, so Nicole, Waverly, and Wynonna had taken the west. The two sisters walked ahead of her, caught up in a conversation about the encounter Wynonna and Dolls had with Famine. Nicole may have been exhausted, but she couldn't help but smile as Wynonna told Waverly about leading Famine into the trap she had come up with.

“Ghost River Gorge... Wait, isn't that where you—”

“Don't you dare finish that sentence,” Wynonna said.

“Oh my god, it is!”

“Waverly, I swear—”

“That's where Gus caught you having sex for the first time,” Waverly said. “Honestly, I don't know who was more embarrassed.”

Wynonna groaned. “It was me. I was more embarrassed,” she said. She shoved against Waverly's shoulder, and Waverly laughed as she stumbled sideways. “Asshole.”

“Hey, at least Curtis didn't catch you.”

Despite the weariness that still clung to her, warmth spread through Nicole's body as she listened to Wynonna and Waverly tease each other. The ache from her self-imposed exile had finally started to fade, and when Waverly looked over her shoulder and smiled back at Nicole, she was amazed she had been able to stay away for so long.

As they approached the street where the angry mob had been, Nicole quickened her pace so she walked alongside Waverly and Wynonna. The mass of people that had been there while War roamed the streets had disbanded. Confused and injured citizens now dotted the street, far less threatening without War's influence over them.

Pete sat beside his brother Kyle on the sidewalk, both of them leaning against one another. Champ stood further down the road, cradling his wrist against his chest. Susie sat at Champ's feet, a lost expression on her face, and Nicole thought back to Jarrod, the first victim they had found in town. Several other people wore similar distant expressions as the events of the night truly sank in.

Even if they sent the horses back to hell, it wouldn't fix all that had happened or bring back the people they had lost.

After a quick call to Nedley to inform him of the stragglers they had found, the three of them dispersed along the street to check on the people still reeling from the brawl they had been in and the emotions War had caused. Once it was clear everyone was able to walk despite the injuries they had sustained, the three women reconvened in the middle of the street.

“I don't quite trust them to make it back to the station on their own,” Nicole said. “They can walk alright, but a lot of 'em are confused or concussed.”

“Or both,” Waverly provided.

“Right. Or both,” Nicole said. “Look, you two go on ahead and find that horse before it can get out of Purgatory. I'll get these people back to the station so they can get looked at by a professional.”

Waverly furrowed her brow. “Nicole, there's a demon horse wandering around out there, and you want us to leave you out here alone?”

“I can't just leave them here, Wave. Like you said, there's a demon horse wandering around out there,” she said. “Besides, I'm pretty sure I broke Champ's wrist earlier in that mob, so I think I kinda owe him one.” Waverly still looked hesitant, so Nicole stepped closer and tucked a strand of Waverly's hair behind her ear, letting her thumb linger for a moment. “I'll be okay, I promise. You two are the ones chasing down a demon.”

Waverly sighed. “Fine,” she said, “but I'm going to hold you to that promise.”

After a quick kiss goodbye, Nicole watched Waverly and Wynonna continue their journey down the street towards the edge of town. As they disappeared around the corner, she tried not to think of the danger that awaited them and occupied herself by helping the last few stragglers to their feet.

She had finally coaxed Susie into standing up when she felt a chill run down her spine. When she looked over her shoulder, she startled at the sight of Joanna standing directly behind her. Cool blue eyes bore into hers and she hated the way the piercing gaze made her heart beat harder in her chest.

“Jo,” Nicole said, “what the hell are you doing out here? It isn't safe.”

Joanna smiled. “I was looking for you, Nicky,” she said, “and I am _so_ glad I found you.”

It wasn't just Joanna's voice that grated against Nicole's ears. There was another voice laced around the words, and it was far more sinister, but the realization came a moment too late. Joanna's hand darted forward and caught Nicole by the wrist. A quick twist made her cry out, and a laugh that wasn't quite Joanna's reached her ears. Nicole shoved against her captor with her free hand, but the woman didn't budge.

“Poor, pathetic Nicky,” Joanna said. Nicole winced as the grip on her wrist tightened. “All of that training at the police academy, and what do you have to show for it?” Joanna stepped closer and the wave of despair that rolled over Nicole made her knees buckle. “Absolutely nothing.”

Screams reached Nicole's ears. Behind Joanna, she saw the large figure of a pale, yellow horse looming over them. Rotted flesh hung from its body, exposing the guts within. Nicole's breath caught in her throat as the realization dawned on her.

Pestilence had found a rider.

“That's my girl,” Joanna said, and a low chuckle followed. “I knew you would figure it out eventually.”

Nicole gritted her teeth against the pain in her wrist and forced herself to meet Joanna's eyes. “What are you doing, Jo?”

“What am I doing? What does it look like I'm doing, Nicole?” Joanna leaned down and her lips brushed against Nicole's ear as she said, “I'm taking back what belongs to me.”

The words made Nicole cringe and she struggled against the grip around her wrist as she said, “I'm not yours to take back.”

“And whose are you, do you suppose? Waverly's?” Joanna pulled back far enough to look Nicole in the eyes. “Please, Nicky. Do you really think she could love someone like you?” She trailed the fingers of her free hand along Nicole's throat, only to stop them at her chin. “Tell me, how long did it take her to say it?”

The question echoed in Nicole's head and the doubts she had buried long ago swirled to the surface.

“No,” she said. “No, that doesn't matter. She _does_ love me.” But the pity on Joanna's face made Nicole's stomach turn. “She does!”

“How could she, Nicky? How could anyone?”

Unbidden, memories of the past winter sprang to mind. Nicole closed her eyes against them, but it was useless.

“God, you let her sister get kidnapped, Nicky,” Joanna said. “She almost died because of you. How could Waverly love you after you let that happen?”

Nicole shook her head. “It wasn't my fault.”

“Don't lie to yourself. You and I both know that isn't true.” Joanna tsk'ed. “If only you had been just a little bit stronger, maybe you could have protected her. Do you even know what your friend went through while you were safe and sound in your hospital bed?”

Nicole couldn't find her voice. All she could think about was that morning in the ditch, when the blood sluggishly pulsed from her hand and her forehead into the blinding white snow. She had tried so hard to crawl after the thing that had taken Wynonna, but she had been so cold and so tired.

She had left Wynonna to suffer through that creature's ministrations on her own.

She had nearly cost Waverly her sister.

The palm of Joanna's hand pressed against her cheek. “Oh, you do know,” Joanna said. “So tell me how you can fool yourself into thinking Waverly loves you, when all you've done is fail her time and time again.”

“I...”

She wanted to argue, but no defense sprang to mind; only memories of the times she had failed Waverly and Wynonna.

“That's what I thought,” Joanna said. “She may say the words, Nicky, but you and I both know the truth. You're _useless_.” Nicole shrank away from the word, but Joanna leaned closer. “Face it. There was only one person who could love you, and you left her.” She tilted her head. “And now you're all alone.”

Nicole shuddered at the words, but she felt the truth of them pressing on her shoulders.

She was alone.

* * *

 

Waverly rubbed the back of her neck and winced as she walked alongside Wynonna down the dark street.

“You alright, sis?”

“Just regretting a few bad decisions.”

Getting involved with the angry mob had not been her brightest plan, but the thought of more of her friends tearing each other apart had spurred her into action. Now that decision was coming back to haunt her. The fact that a few hours prior, a man twice her size had held her down by her neck wasn't helping her feel any better.

She sighed and dropped her hand down to her side. “When this is all over, I'm crawling into bed and staying there for at least three days. You'll have to hunt down the next Revenant without me.”

Wynonna laughed and draped her arm over Waverly's shoulder. “You and I both know you would never let me do that,” she said. Waverly groaned when Wynonna tightened her hold, aggravating sore muscles. “One more horse, then you're allowed to act like an old woman for a few days.”

Waverly shoved Wynonna away from her and glared. The curse that rested on the tip of her tongue was interrupted by the harsh chorus of screams coming from behind them, and both sisters turned their heads to look over their shoulders.

“Shit,” Wynonna said.

Waverly had already turned around, Nicole's name escaping her lips in a panicked gasp. The aches that had plagued her moments before faded as she sprinted back down the road. The screams grew louder as she approached the street where they had left Nicole and the others. When Waverly turned the corner, she nearly stumbled.

The pale yellow horse in the middle of the road was a haunting figure to behold, but it only held Waverly's attention for a moment. Her gaze drifted to the woman who stood beneath it, and her eyes widened at the sight of wild blonde curls and the twisted, gleeful expression on her face. At her feet knelt Nicole, one hand pressed against the street and the other tangled in her messy red locks as she shook her head from side to side.

Joanna was hurting her.

Waverly balled her hands into fists, her nails biting into the skin of her palms.

Joanna was hurting Nicole and _enjoying_ it.

“Shit!”

Waverly didn't know when Wynonna had rounded the corner, but her eyes dropped to the gun that hung on her sister's hip and her fingers twitched. She knew she couldn't use Peacemaker, but she also couldn't sit by and do nothing while Joanna hurt Nicole. Without a second thought, she pulled the gun from the holster at Wynonna's hip and ignored her sister's protests as she sprinted down the street.

The gun handle was cool in the palm of her hand despite the tight grip she held on it. The pale horse tossed its head and whinnied a warning when it saw her coming.

_Oh, Waverly. You're not even an Earp._

The familiar, painful words echoed in her head, but Waverly pressed forward, focusing on the smooth handle of the gun pressed against her palm.

_You're not an Earp._

Her legs slowed until she came to a stop and Peacemaker shook in her trembling hand.

_Not an Earp._

No, she wasn't an Earp. She would never be able to shoot Peacemaker the way her sisters did. She would never be the one to end the curse.

Waverly gritted her teeth and tightened her grip on Peacemaker's handle.

But she didn't have to be an Earp to help Nicole.

The horse whinnied again when she pulled back her arm. A shout tore from her throat and she chucked the revolver as hard as she could. Joanna stumbled backwards when the butt of the gun struck her in the forehead and clattered against the street. Waverly heard Nicole's pained gasp as Joanna's hold on her was severed.

Piercing blue eyes settled on Waverly, but she held her ground.

“You think you've won, little girl? You haven't,” Joanna said. “She's mine again, and there's nothing you can do about it.”

“I'm not yours.” Joanna's gaze shifted back to the woman at her feet. Despite being on her knees, Nicole’s voice was hard and defiant. Waverly’s eyes widened when Nicole pulled the silver watch from the pocket of her jeans. “And I will _never_ be yours like that again.”

She drove the watch into the cement. The sound it made as it cracked against the pavement seemed to ripple through the night air and the force it released pushed Nicole back to the ground. The pale, yellow horse behind Joanna shrieked and Waverly clamped her hands over her ears. Beneath its feet, a gaping red pit opened in the ground and pulled it down. Joanna's eyes widened as she started to stagger backwards as well.

“No!” She stumbled back and screamed as her foot slipped into the pit. “Nicole,” she shouted. “Nicole, please!”

Waverly watched as Nicole struggled to push herself back up, only to collapse against the street again a moment later. Joanna screamed as the force of the pit pulled her down.

The pit disappeared as the last shock of blonde hair slipped below the surface and Joanna's screams were replaced with silence.

Waverly lowered her hands and her steps echoed in the street. She dropped to the ground beside Nicole and tried to calm her thundering heart as she rolled her onto her back and pulled her into her lap.

“Come on.” Waverly pressed a kiss against Nicole's forehead, squeezing her eyes shut against the tears that pricked her eyes. She took comfort in the rise and fall of Nicole's chest, but fear still lingered at the back of Waverly's mind. “Come on. Wake up.”

Nicole groaned and warm, brown eyes slowly opened. When they finally focused on Waverly, a small, tired smile appeared on Nicole's face. “We really gotta... stop ending up like this.”

Waverly laughed despite the tears that streaked her cheeks, and she captured Nicole's lips in a kiss. When they broke apart, she said, “You had me worried for a second there.”

“Hey.” She reached up and placed her palm against Waverly's cheek. “I had a promise to keep, didn't I?” Her hand dropped back down and Nicole released a shaky breath as the bravado that had filled her a moment before slipped away. “Thank you for helping me keep that promise.”

“Anytime,” Waverly said. She brushed Nicole's bangs out of her face and let her fingers linger. “Are you okay?”

Nicole turned her head and Waverly followed her gaze to where Joanna had been pulled beneath the street. The remnants of the watch glittered near where the pit had been. Peacemaker wasn't far from it.

“I think I will be,” Nicole said, her voice quiet. She shifted again so she was staring up at Waverly once more. “You know what I would really like?”

“Hm?”

“To go home,” she said. The smile on her face grew as she added, “With you.”

Waverly laughed. “I think that can be arranged.”

The sound of footsteps interrupted the moment. Waverly looked up from Nicole and found Wynonna walking towards them. She squatted beside them and gave Waverly a gentle shove—hard enough to annoy her, but not enough to jostle Nicole.

“Hey! What was that for?”

“You _threw_ Peacemaker,” Wynonna said. “You chucked it, actually, if we're being honest. Do you know how nice I'm gonna have to be to that thing so it'll shoot straight again?” Waverly's brow furrowed at the question, but Wynonna cut her off before she could question it. “Never mind,” she said before she looked down at Nicole. “I'm glad you're alright, Haught Shot. Saved me the trouble of searching for a new best friend.”

“Gee thanks, Wynonna.”

“You're welcome,” she said as she got to her feet. “Guess I'll go get Peacemaker now since, you know, you just had to go and throw it. Couldn't just let me shoot Joanna myself.”

“Sorry, sis,” Waverly called after Wynonna as she walked away. Wynonna flipped her off in response. Waverly shook her head and looked back down at Nicole. “What do you say we get you home, huh?”

“I would love that.”

Waverly helped Nicole to her feet and let her lean against her as they started down the road back to the police station. Wynonna joined them soon after, Peacemaker at her hip where it belonged and the remnants of the pocket watch in her hand.

Without the threat of demonic horses hovering over them, it was a short and quiet walk back to the station. Waverly was happy to see that the stragglers from the mob had managed to make it to the station after Pestilence scared them off.

It was another short wait for the rest of their small group to come back. Doc and Dolls returned first, but Isaiah and Jesse weren't far behind them. They exchanged goodbyes and Wynonna yelped in surprise when Isaiah pulled her into a bone-crushing hug.

“Thank you. For everything,” was all he said when he pulled away.

Then he slipped his hand into Jesse's and left the station so they could finally go back home.

* * *

The sun's rays were peeking over the horizon when the Jeep finally rolled over the gravel driveway in front of the homestead. Waverly yawned as she cut the engine. Beside her, Nicole slept in the passenger seat. Her left hand rested in Waverly's on the center console. The other rested across her lap, covered by a bright blue brace.

“Nicole,” Waverly whispered and sleepy brown eyes opened. When they met hers, Waverly said, “We're home.”

Nicole's hand resting on the center console gave Waverly's a soft squeeze, and Waverly smiled.

Home, indeed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is "Bad Moon Rising" covered by Mourning Ritual.
> 
> Epilogue to come soon, though it's less plot stuff and more of a nice little scene to truly wrap this little fic up. Thank you for sticking with the fic and I hope you all enjoyed the ride!


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